This Sentell’s Intel rep on Georgia football recruiting has the latest with 4-star Joakim Gouda at McEachern High. He’s the nation’s No. 15 LB and the No. 197 overall prospect for 2027 on the 247Sports Composite. The Rivals Industry Ranking has him as the No. 9 LB and No. 139 overall.
Joakim Gouda was in Athens for a “Junior Day” in January. He returned in March. He’s got an official visit planned for May 29, but he will be back in Athens this weekend.
Again.
That’s nothing but good news for the Dawgs with the best inside linebacker in the state this year.
“I’m just trying to get down there to see if I can really see myself being there for three to four years,” Gouda said. “Just getting to know everybody.”
Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumman has built a strong relationship.
“That’s my Dawg,” Gouda said of Schumann. “I’m really close to the staff with ‘Coach Schu’ and [defensive analyst] Coach Bryson Allen-Williams. That’s ‘BAW’ and he’s been checking in on me. Coach [David] Coop. Kirby [Smart] and all of them. They’re always just checking on my family. Not just me. It’s a great relationship with Georgia and especially ‘Coach Schu’ as well.”
Gouda has also been to Auburn, Florida, Notre Dame and Texas over the last few weeks.
“I’ve been going to where my top five is at,” he said.
He’ll see UGA this weekend. Gouda will then visit Florida on April 11 and will make another trip to see Texas on April 18.
Alabama and Auburn round out his top five. He has set up officials with all of those schools except the Crimson Tide. His official visits look like:
- May 29-31: Georgia
- June 4-6: Florida
- June 10-12: Texas
- June 19-21: Auburn
Florida and Texas seem like the biggest rivals to the Dawgs at this time.
“They have all shown me that they really want me pretty bad,” he said.
Relationships will be vital on these visits.
“You’ve got to get to know the people,” he said. “Because at the end of the day you’re going to be in the facility with the trainers, the staff, the strength and conditioning guys. Then like the other athletes and stuff. I’m just trying to put myself in those shoes to see if that is the best decision or if you just feel comfortable with where you are at.”
He knows more about UGA than any other school in his top group. How does he feel about the fit of “those shoes” in Athens?
“It feels good when I go up to Athens,” he said. “It’s very inviting. They’ve always got a warm welcome for me. There’s not even nothing special like introducing me on the board and everything. The coaches just come up and greet me. They are enthusiastic and just checking on me. It is not only ‘Coach Schu’ it is ‘TRob’ [safeties coach Travis Robinson] and the D-line coach. Coach Tray Scott. The nickels coach. Coach [Andrew] Thacker. They always say what’s up to me and treat me like I am a player there already.”
While other schools show him his name at the top of their list in the facility, the Dawgs don’t need to do that.
“I don’t need to see it,” Gouda said. “They make me feel like it. When I was early in this process, they were the first ones among the big schools to offer me in January.”
What does he hears from college coaches about his game?
“I’m a big body that can run and hit,” he said.
The weekly DawgNation.com “Before the Hedges” program is available as an Apple podcast.
Joakim Gouda has a new high school team
Gouda will also have a new team for his senior year of high school ball.
The 4-star LB spent the first three seasons of his varsity career at South Paulding. Gouda, who saw his former head coach at South Paulding not retained after the 2025 season, has transferred to McEachern.
On the surface, it seems like a power move to a stronger program. McEachern won as many games last season (10) as Gouda did during his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons at South Paulding.
According to Gouda, that’s not the case.
“It wasn’t me for real,” he said. “My mom wanted to move and originally we lived here. It was closer to her job and then our lease ended. She wanted to move. It ended up working out perfectly. You know it is a good program here.”
He’s noticed a difference with the blue and gold.
“A real culture,” he said. “A real standard. How hard everybody works and the competition. The people I go against. They all really want it. They are no different and the same as me when it comes to that.”
He sees “state championship” potential in his new team. The Indians will now also benefit from a potential All-State player in Gouda.
“His physicality stands out,” McEachern coach Kareem Reid said. “He’s an experienced guy who’s played a lot of football so having him step in alongside another experienced linebacker we have here, I think it is going to do wonders for our defense and just the overall leadership of the team.”
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound rising senior averaged 11.1 tackles per game as a junior and finished with 100 stops. He added two sacks and one TFL in nine games.
“When I saw his film, I was super excited honestly,” Reid said. “He’s a national recruit for a reason. So as a football coach, you’re excited to add another talented player to your roster amongst the other talented kids that we already have here. We were really good last year, but I think it’s going to make our defense that much better.”
It’s hard to top the high school film Gouda authored last fall. Especially for an inside linebacker. He’s easily one of the most physical LB prospects we’ve seen in the last few years.
