This Sentell’s Intel rep on Georgia football recruiting has the latest with 4-star Timi Aliu at Locust Grove. He ranks as the nation’s No. 26 OT and the No. 284 overall prospect for 2027 on the 247Sports Composite. The Rivals Industry Ranking has him as the No. 20 OT and No. 229 overall.
Timi Aliu is a rare 4-star prospect at Locust Grove in Henry County.
There’s a program database maintained by Rivals.com that lists notable alumni for every high school team. The last time his Wildcats had a 4-star recruit was when Cortez McDowell signed with Tennessee in 2014.
Aliu [pronounced Ali] stands to be the first SEC-level prospect Locust Grove has produced since 3-star EDGE Tre’Von Marshall signed with Mississippi State in 2021.
The rising senior has a novel way of looking at that.
“It feels good,” he said. “Especially just being the hometown guy. Just growing up and seeing that they haven’t had a lot of players like me in the past. I want to be one of those guys who can show some guidance to some other young people, and also the attention that’s on me will help some of our other guys a chance to get seen and get recruited.”
If someone had told him three years ago he’d be ranked as a Top 250 national recruit, how far-fetched would that have been?
“I would’ve laughed at you to your face,” he said. “Because I didn’t even play football.”
He didn’t play football at any level until his sophomore season. He had good size and length. That was apparent when he earned an offer from East Carolina before he ever played in a football game.
That offer came in the summer before his sophomore year. That was the same season he went on to be named an All-Region player. How did he manage that?
“Just being big and athletic and also having some other guys to play football,” he said. “It definitely made me want to play football, too.”
There aren’t many football prospects who can say they’ve only played two seasons in their lives, but also hold an offer from the University of Georgia.
Aliu visited UGA for a spring practice last Saturday.
“It was definitely good for sure,” Aliu said. “That was my first time I’ve seen a Georgia practice and how physical it was and how demanding it was. Especially with Coach [Kirby] Smart having the mic on. He’s always demanding a lot from everybody and he’s always coaching everybody up.”
“It was great to hear and then see how everybody was practicing and see how quick the pace was. I see why they are in the playoffs every year.”
Has he ever seen a college team practice like that?
“I wouldn’t say like that,” he said. “I feel like UGA is unique in the way they practice. That’s why they have so much success everywhere up and down the program.”
“UGA is definitely unique. That was my first time seeing a practice like that.”
He noticed everything.
“Just the pace of it, really,” he said. “Just how fast it was. How loud it was. How quick they were to the ball. Just the discipline and the attention to detail. Seeing how they emphasize everything from the splits to the steps to the physicality. It is always a lot that they pay attention to and you see why. That’s why they win.”
That visit helped Georgia.
“It just reinforced the love I have for Georgia,” he said.
He’s got a unique view of the upcoming season for the Dawgs.
“This is just a new era of it,” he said. “UGA is a very young team compared to all these other schools. Just seeing how well they are able to compete but also how well they are able to communicate and play together, it is only going to get better and better. I’m excited to watch them this season.”
The 6-foot-5, 308-pound rising junior said it was good to see all the coaches and players in Athens again. He was also up for a “Junior Day” back in January.
“They definitely made me feel like a priority,” he said of his weekend visit. “I know there were a lot of recruits there, but I got to talk to Coach Smart, pretty much all the coaches and [offensive coordinator Coach [Mike] Bobo, too. So I was really happy about that.”
The physicality of the UGA program has always stood out to him.
“It just seems like they destroy every team they play physically and mentally,” he said back in March. “Just as the game goes on. They’ve won like, what, two national championships in the past four years. They were undefeated for like two years. They’ve been to the SEC Championship almost every year. They win it almost every year.”
“Everything is there. They put guys in the league at every position. DB. D-line. Offensive line. Receiver. Quarterback. It’s always a standard of success at UGA and it would be great to be a part of that.”
Aliu described Georgia 5-star RB Kemon Spell as a “really great friend of mine” in the 2027 class. What would it be like to block for him?
“It would be a great experience,” Aliu said. “He’s a very very talented guy. I mean, the tape speaks for itself and blocking for him I think would probably be an amazing experience.”
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Timi Aliu: Checking in on the contenders
Aliu doesn’t have any more unofficial visits scheduled yet, but that is likely to change. He did get out to see Nebraska in March.
He has the following official visits lined up:
- Illinois: April 10-12
- Syracuse: May 29-31
- Florida: June 4-6
- Georgia: June 12-14
- Nebraska: June 19-21
There are three staples for what he’s looking for. That’s been a constant for the future Business major.
“Academics,” he said. “Team culture and locker room culture. It is the same three things.”
He will also take a hard look at coaching prestige. That’s how many guys each program has had make an All-American team and move on to the NFL.
His mother, Sheila, serves as his inspiration to go far in football.
“I want to retire my mom,” he said. “I’ve always felt like she’s done a lot for me growing up since I was a little kid. Just seeing her work all the time. I want to be able to pay that back as much as I can.”
Recruiters see him as a hybrid that can play tackle or guard at the college level.
“I’m really big on technique,” he said. “I really play with my hands and play to my length. I’m a very physical player. I move people off the ball. I put people in the dirt. My film really speaks for itself and I’m going to keep adding to that.”
Check out his junior film below.
