Kirby Smart leaves Hugh Freeze in rear view mirror after Georgia flips 4-star LB Shadarius Toodle from Auburn

Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs secured four-star linebacker Shadarius Toodle after flipping him from Southeastern Conference rival Auburn, led by Hugh Freeze. Toodle is the No. 186-ranked prospect and the No. 5 linebacker in the Class of 2026 by On3. He announced his commitment to the Bulldogs on Sunday after nearly a year as a Tigers pledge.

A 6-foot-3, 210-pound athlete from Cottage Hill Christian Academy in Mobile, Alabama, Toodle had been committed to Auburn since July. He is the 19th commitment in Georgia's 2026 recruiting class and is the Bulldogs’ first linebacker addition in the cycle.

Hayes Fawcett

@Hayesfawcett3

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BREAKING: Four-Star LB Shadarius Toodle has Flipped from Auburn to Georgia, he tells me for

@on3recruits

The 6’3 235 LB from Mobile, AL had been Committed to the Tigers since July 2024

“If you want to be the best, why not play with the best?”

https://on3.com/db/shadarius-toodle-154995/

Georgia’s pursuit of Toodle picked up early this year. Bulldogs co-defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann visited his high school two days after extending an offer in January, laying the groundwork for a sustained recruiting push.

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Why did Shadarius Toodle choose Georgia over Auburn?

Shadarius Toodle made multiple visits to Athens, including an important stop during Georgia’s annual May Scavenger Hunt weekend. That trip also included a one-on-one meeting with former Bulldog linebacker and Butkus Award winner Jalon Walker. That conversation helped tip the scales in Georgia’s favor.

“It was a great visit for me and my family,” Toodle said in May, via On3. “I got to talk to coach Kirby Smart, coach Schumann and coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe about how they feel like I fit in their defense.

"They say they think that I’m a player like Jalon Walker. I can play on the outside and the inside and show off my versatility and for me to have the best chance to make it to the NFL.”

Toodle hinted at a shift in his recruitment in late May, saying the Bulldogs surged to the top of his list following his visit. He followed through with official visits to Michigan on May 30, Baylor on June 6 and Auburn on June 13. While Auburn briefly regained momentum, he made the call to flip to Georgia one week after returning from his visit to the Tigers.

Toodle is the seventh player to join Georgia’s 2026 class in June, showing that the team is doing well in recruiting.

According to MaxPreps, the linebacker has played two seasons at his school. He rushed for 785 yards on 120 carries and added 269 receiving yards on 16 catches. On defense, he accumulated 260 tackles, including 216 solo efforts, along with 12 sacks and four fumble recoveries.