This Sentell’s Intel rep on Georgia football recruiting has the latest with 3-star Corey Howard at Valdosta High School. He ranks as the nation’s No. 120 DL and the No. 1146 overall prospect for 2026 on the 247Sports Composite. The On3 Industry Ranking does not have a ranking for Howard.
Corey Howard wanted to wait until this evening to announce his commitment decision. He’s having a celebration down in Valdosta and it was the only time that a certain special guest could be in town.
That special guest was not Howard, who just chose Georgia football over a strong interest in Florida. The Howard family wanted to do it today because of the fact that an impressionable young man from the Atlanta area could make it down.
“I got a little cousin that looks up to me, and this was going to be the only day that he would be able to come,” Howard said. “He really looks up to me, so we changed the date to today because he plays football and basketball, but he stays in Atlanta, so we chose today for it. This was the only day he was going to have off to come.”
Corbin Goings, his younger cousin, had to appreciate that even though he’s just in elementary school. Howard hopes that his success will be an inspiration to that young man.
That story is an example of how Howard is. He’s a great teammate and the type of kid who’ll never take this big-time college football recruit stuff for granted.
“He’s a great-hearted young man who works hard and a great kid,” Valdosta High coach Shelton Felton said. “He doesn’t put himself above the team, and you just love him to death. He does everything the right way and is a ‘yes sir and a no sir’ kid, which is a compliment to his parents. He’s a very good kid.”
What did this decision come down to for Howard?
“Basically, both places were amazing,” Howard said of the choice between Dawgs and Gators. “So it was really like what was going to set them apart for me as far as the coaching staff, the players, the defense that they run, and how the coaches are. That’s what it really came down to.”
It was made easy by one simple thing.
“The amount of people that they send to the league,” Howard said. “I’m looking at the numbers, and their D-line is like automatic. They produce some of the best defensive linemen in the nation. If you want to go to the NFL, you go to Georgia. From what I’ve seen of [Georgia defensive line coach] Tray Scott and [assistant coach Chidera] and coach Uzo-Diribe, they produce some of the best. If you want to be the best, you’ve got to go play with the best. That’s what I’ve seen.”
Howard made a silent commitment to Scott.
“He was like ‘Let’s go get this money’ when I said that,” Howard said.
Why did Scott want him?
“He just sees me being one of those next guys up that he had previously to go to the league,” Howard said. “He sees that he can work with me, and I want to be that body and his next project that he can send to the NFL. I’m looking to go there, learn, go play, and be the best.”
He said that UGA sees him as playing up and down the defensive line. Everything from a “2″ to a “3″ tech to a “Jack” in space in an odd front. Valdosta played him at nose guard last fall.
“When I get to college, the more positions you can play, the more money you can make,” Howard said. “I’m trying to learn as much as I can now, I can already have an idea of how to play every position across the line and what I need to do.”
When he put that UGA gear on for his official visit, he felt that he “was the next man up” at Georgia.
“There are a lot of people who have come through there because of the program and the people,” he said. “The people there are a big part in why all those guys were successful. That’s why I want to be the next one of them.”
Howard becomes the 20th commitment in the 2026 class in Athens. The 6-foot-5-plus, 266-pound rising senior just shared a decision that marks the third straight day the Bulldogs got a commitment for the 2026 class.
That’s a streak that could keep right on going for the next several days, with top targets lining up to make several big decisions over the next few days.
Check out Howard’s junior film below. He’s a work in progress, but he’s made big strides since transferring to Valdosta from Tift County for his junior year last fall.
Corey Howard: What is Georgia football getting here?
Valdosta coach Shelton Felton has established a standard when sending players to the next level. He coached luminaries like former Auburn Tiger Big Kat Bryant, current Bulldogs Gabe Harris and Todd Robinson, and former Bulldog Quay Walker while they were in high school.
If he puts his name on a player and tells SEC coaches that they can play, he’s not going to do so unless they can live up to his reputation.
“It was the same thing I told Kirby [Smart],” Felton said. “If he chooses Georgia and he doesn’t meet the Georgia standard, I will be the first one to call him and say he doesn’t meet that Georgia standard. I’m not going to stamp a player that doesn’t meet the standard.”
“I feel like I’ve got a good name about myself for putting kids out. I don’t want to ruin that reputation.”
Felton had this to say about Howard recently.
Howard said he came from a program that was basically “see ball and get ball,” but he’s now learning the advanced techniques necessary to play in the SEC.
There’s a lot of upside here, but there’s also a lot of raw potential to his game. Patience would be a good thing to wait for here.
“Raw is the correct statement to make,” Felton said.
Felton is not the type to talk about another coaching staff; he just chose the high road with Howard’s development.
“His potential and his best football is in front of him,” Felton said. “So right now, the one thing he does well is he can bend to be 6-foot-5 and three-quarters, and he comes out of his hips well. He moves well. He has very good movement because he is a basketball player who is learning how to play football.”
Howard has gained 26 pounds of weight in the Valdosta off-season program.
“We aren’t talking about fat,” Felton said. “He looks good with it.”
Felton believes that Howard will be either a “3″ or a “4i” technique initially at Georgia in an even front, and he also believes he can play the “Jack” position.
“He has the athletic ability to drop, but also he is long,” Felton said. “One thing he does well is he locks out blockers. He’s still learning how to get off of them, but he does a great job of locking them out and shooting his hands, which he is still learning how to do.”
The Dawgs get a project here, but he’s one with the right mindset.
“Six-five and a half and 266 pounds that moves like he can just doesn’t grow on trees,” Felton said. “A young man who is that long just going into his senior year and still growing with his best football in front of him with that athletic ability, that’s hard to find.”
That’s what SEC coaches are dying to find.
“I’ll tell him right now,” Felton said. “He’s got a lot to learn. He’s still learning, and he’s got a lot to do. But his upside is very very high. Is he one of those guys I’ve sent to Georgia in the past? The Gabe Harris types? The Quay Walkers? No, he’s not that yet, but he can be that, and he can be a little bit better than that because of his length and his size.”
Howard will graduate in December and enroll early in January.
“He has got to get out early because he needs that time early,” Felton said. “He needs that one-on-one time during spring and spring practices. He’s got to learn how to fail to get better, if that makes sense.”
Howard wore the number zero jersey last fall for Valdosta. That’s what Felton wanted him to wear.
“I put a target on his back,” Felton said. “I said if you are going to come here and look this part, I am going to give you one of the best numbers so everybody will know who you are.”
Have you seen this week’s “Before the Hedges” weekly recruiting special on YouTube yet? Check it out below.
SENTELL’S INTEL
(Check on the recent reads on Georgia football recruiting)
