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Georgia lands elite LB Joakim Gouda fresh off official visit

On3 imageby: Jake Rowe06/01/26JakeMRowe

Georgia has landed its fifth commitment in a two-day span in McEachern (Power Springs, Ga.) linebacker Joakim Gouda. His pledge comes after those of Mt. Vernon (Atlanta, Ga.) wide receiver Taurean Rawlins and Oak Grove (Hattisburg, Miss.) offensive lineman DJ Dotson, both of whom were coming off their official visits to UGA as well. Fast-riser Hampton (Ga.) Lovejoy edge Gideon Taiwo announced his pledge on Monday as well

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker is ranked as the nation’s No. 153 overall prospect and No. 14 linebacker according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that includes all three websites that publish recruiting rankings. When you look at the Rivals300, the network’s stand-alone rankings, Gouda is thought of much higher.

In those rankings, he’s currently in 5-star range as the nation’s No. 31 overall prospect. He’s ranked as the No. 2 linebacker in America and the No. 4 player in Georgia per Rivals.

Gouda’s lead recruiter is Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann, who also serves as the inside linebackers coach. Schumann has coached three Butkus Award winners since becoming an on-field head coach at the college level. He has also landed several five-star linebackers since joining Kirby Smart’s initial coaching staff in Athens back in 2016.

Gouda will look to join the likes of Roquan Smith, Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, and Jalon Walker as players who either won the Butkus Award at Georgia, were drafted in the first round or both. Schumann also helped turn Monty Rice and Jamon Dumas-Johnson into Butkus Award finalists. He helped Tae Crowder earn his way to the semifinalist cut for that position.

The Bulldogs beat out Texas, Auburn, Florida, and Notre Dame, among many other offers, to land Gouda’s commitment. He is the Bulldogs’ 11th commitment of the 2027 class and their fourth commitment in the past week.

This weekened was the first of four straight weeks of official visits for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs will host visitors all the way up until the weekend of June 21 before the NCAA-mandated dead period begins.

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