This Sentell’s Intel rep on Georgia football recruiting has the latest with 3-star DL Corey Howard at Valdosta High. He’s the nation’s No. 83 DL and the No. 708 overall prospect for 2026 on the 247Sports Composite. The Rivals Industry Ranking has him as the No. 64 EDGE and No. 688 overall.
Development.
That’s why Alabama is now working to flip 3-star Georgia football DL commit Corey Howard.
Howard, who moved to Valdosta for his junior year, has made strides in coach Shelton Felton’s program. The Wildcats play a “Mint” scheme very similar to what Georgia does on defense.
“He’s doing well,” Felton said. “He’s playing with his hands. He’s generating knockback. You can see him becoming what we think he’s going to be in the future.”
He’s playing the “3-tech” and a “4i” and also a “5-tech”, depending on the front.
The Alabama Crimson Tide noticed.
Howard, a 6-foot-5 and 275-pound senior, was in Tuscaloosa for an unofficial for the Louisiana-Monroe game last Saturday. It was rare to see an SEC commit take an unofficial visit to see a less-than-marquee opponent.
That means there’s something there.
DawgNation also confirmed through Howard that he plans to take an official visit to Alabama for the Tennessee game on October 18.
Why the interest in the Tide?
“They don’t have many DL coming back next year,” Howard said.
Georgia is expected to lose at least one, but possibly up to four of its interior DLs next season. The Bulldogs will return a lot of their young DLs up front.
Before the recent interest from the Tide, Howard said he had already seen increased attention from other program. He looks like a different player now than what he was over the summer.
“UGA is home,” he told DawgNation last month. “Coaches are still reaching out, but it hasn’t felt like UGA.”
Howard only took official visits to see Florida and Georgia. His commitment, made back in mid-June, came down to those two schools.
While he continues to get better, schools are going to keep knocking on the door.
His pad level continues to get lower. The Valdosta staff has been working on his eyes. He’s not standing up as much and looking in the backfield. The 3-star is starting to come out of his heeps, shoot his hands and adjust his eye level.
“He’s using his hands and not overthinking it,” Felton said. “I think the next part will be good when he puts it all together and he will not be kinda robotic if that makes sense. He’s got to start making it feel more natural. He’s learning. He’s trying to do it step-by-step, but you can see a couple of plays he made last week against Tampa Jesuit.”
“He locked his blocker out, shed him and made the play. It was like an all-in-one reaction. It’s scary what he can be and what he’s starting to look like."
“By region time, he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with, and then by playoff time, he’s going to be even better,” Felton said. “To me, he’s a repetition guy. The more reps he gets at it, the better he gets.”
Howard said he’s going to pay attention to the vibes at each school. What did ‘Bama feel like on his latest visit?
“A good school, but UGA feels better,” he told DawgNation this week.
Howard also confirmed he’ll be back in Athens before he makes that official visit to Alabama. He plans be in Athens for the Alabama game on September 27. That’s shaping up to be a destination gameday for elite UGA recruits and targets.
“You know how the domino effect goes,” Felton said. “Once Georgia gets in the picture with any recruit, it is no secret. It opens eyes. ... It opened a lot of eyes. I think he’s getting another spiel of all the recruiting again.”
When asked about what advice he’d have for Howard now with two elite programs vying for his college decision, Felton brought it back to one word.
Development.
“The biggest thing I tell him is you know everybody is good and everybody is different, but you need development,” Felton said. “You need to get somewhere you can be developed, and you can play with great players, and you can become a great player.”
“Not saying Alabama doesn’t have great players or anything like that. But the key for Corey is going to be development. It can’t be rushed.”
Georgia’s track record under defensive line coach Tray Scott speaks for itself. He’s seen five of his DTs and DLs taken in the NFL Draft dating back to 2022, including three first-round draft picks. There’s also another four DEs that have chosen and that number includes another pair of first-round picks.
Alabama has shuffled through an entirely new defensive staff in the first two years of the Kalen DeBoer era. The Crimson Tide saw just one of their DTs or DLs chosen after DeBoer’s first season in Tuscaloosa. That was a sixth-round pick.
Before that, the Crimson Tide had seen four of its DLs taken in the NFL Draft dating back to 2022. Alabama hasn’t had a first-round DT or a DL since 2019. The Tide has also seen a pair of DEs drafted in that span, including first-rounder Dallas Turner in 2024.
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)
