"It’s finally time to get paid" - Kirby Smart's new commit drops surprising statement after picking Georgia over rivals Florida

Three-star edge rusher Corey Howard committed to Georgia's 2026 class on Tuesday. The Valdosta High School, Georgia, chose Kirby Smart's Bulldogs over Florida.

“Been working a long time it’s finally time to get paid, but still got a long way to go," Howard told On3's Hayes Fawcett.

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The 6-foot-5, 265-pound prospect is a threat on the field due to his wide range of pass rush techniques. He is the No. 100 edge rusher in the 2026 class and the No. 121 recruit in Georgia, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

Howard is the third recruit from Valdosta to join Georgia, following defensive lineman Gabe Harris and safety Todd Robinson. His decision also gives the Bulldogs their second edge rusher commitment in two days, coming right after four-star prospect Khamari Brooks’ pledge on Monday.

Smart’s 2026 class is up to 20 commitments and ranks sixth in the nation. The class is headlined by five-star quarterback Jared Curtis.

Corey Howard shares the reasons behind his commitment to Georgia

Corey Howard made his official visit to Georgia during the June 13-15 weekend and returned less than a week later for a private workout at one of the Bulldogs' elite camps. With him on board, Kirby Smart has 12 in-state commitments for the 2026 cycle and 10 total pledges in June.

"I chose Georgia because they are the best at developing players,” Howard told On3 following his commitment. “I also love the coaches, their style of defense and how they play in the SEC.”

Georgia defensive line coach Tray Scott and outside linebacker coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe were in constant touch with Howard and made him feel wanted. Scott already has a clear plan for Howard.

“He just sees me being one of those next guys up that he had previously to go to the league,” Howard told Dawg Nation. “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.”

Meanwhile, Georgia may soon add another commitment, as four-star running back Jae Lamar is expected to choose between Georgia and Miami on Wednesday.

About the author

Maliha is a High School Sports news and listicles writer at Sportskeeda. A post graduate in Management Information Systems, it was her love for writing and sports which led her down the path of sports content creation. An experienced NBA and NFL writer, she covered the two sports extensively at SportsZion and SportsKnot before joining SportsKeeda.

Maliha is a huge Baltimore Ravens fan and is in awe of quarterback Lamar Jackson's dual-threat abilities. She also admires Tom Brady and her all-time favorite coach is 3-time Super Bowl champion Andy Reid. She is a big advocate of high school sports and believes that elite athletes reach a top level owing to the discipline, hard work, team dynamics, resilience, adaptability and self-confidence learnt by playing sports in high schools. Aaron Rodgers leading the Green Bay Packers to victory on his debut against the Minnesota Vikings is one of her fondest NFL memories.

Maliha places a high emphasis on accuracy in her content. She does thorough research, always double checks facts, and only uses information from most relevant and credible sources for her articles. When not writing, she likes to read history and biographical books.

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Edited by Krutik Jain