Jamal Meriweather, Georgia's Latest Commit, Breaks Down Decision

Georgia's coaches hit the recruiting trail hard following their SEC Championship win. Jamal Meriweather (Brunswick, GA) was one of their first stops.

Author:
Christian Goeckel
Dec 8, 2022 7:57 AM EST

Former Brunswick High Pirate Warren McClendon has been a stalwart on Georgia’s offensive line for three seasons now, starting at right tackle for a program that’s looking to defend its national title. Following the College Football Playoff, McClendon seems destined for the NFL. The Georgia coaching staff dipped back into the Brunswick well for a potential replacement. 6’7 Jamal Meriweather.

Meriweather originally committed to UCF, but an offer from Georgia the Sunday following their SEC Championship win was just too much to pass on.

“I knew I wanted to go to Central Florida, but at the same time, Georgia is one of my dream schools, so I had to take the opportunity,” said Meriweather.

Georgia offensive line coach Stacy Searels has been on Meriweather since his time as the offensive line coach at North Carolina, prior to taking the job at Georgia.

“I knew he was coming back. He had spoken to me while he was at North Carolina and he called me and told me he was going to Georgia. [Searels] had come down here during the spring, and he had talked to me. He was like, “I’ll be back. I’ll be back.”. Then Georgia just started coming, and coming, and coming. [Georgia] called me during school one day - I didn’t know what it was about - but I figured they were offering me.”

So why Georgia over UCF?

“The offensive line, they’re very physical. They run the ball; they dominate. I feel like I’ll fit there.”

Meriweather doesn’t lack for a couple of things: Height and confidence. When asked where he’s improved the most as a lineman, he responded with:

“My mentality. I mean, if I feel like I’m going to put you in the dirt, I’m going to put you in the dirt.”

Once in Athens, he’ll join a long list of Georgia players from South Georgia. What is it about those players from South of Macon - Stetson Bennett (Blackshear), Warren McClendon (Brunswick), Warren Brinson (Savannah), Nolan Smith (Savannah), Kamari Lassiter (Savannah), Tramel Walthour (Liberty), etc - that makes them such impactful players?

“We dogs. That’s all I’m going to say. I don’t know what they got going on up [in North Georgia], but we dogs.”

Brunswick High School head football coach Garrett Grady - who also happens to be his position coach - believes Jamal Meriweather has what it takes to be a P5 tackle.

“He’s a legit 6’7’’, 280 pounds. I think back in the spring, a lot of guys that game through here - he was light, like 260-265 - but he has a big frame, and a lot of college coaches see that and they can say “We’re gonna get him on our program, our weight training program, and develop him.” and I think he can carry a lot of weight with his frame. Just the way he progressed from the springtime, through the summertime. Every game this season he just got better and better. He hasn’t been playing offensive line that long, this is his second year… I think he’s just going to get better the more he plays.” said Grady.

Speaking of Grady, he was also Warren McClendon’s position coach in high school. McClendon and Meriweather have developed a strong relationship.

“I talked to Warren, he just told me like “Stay focused. Be on top of your academics.”, and then he told me “Georgia can really change your life.””

So what type of player is Georgia getting in Jamal Meriweather?

“A dawg. I’m a dawg. I feel like I fit in. I feel like I’m next up. If I take advantage of it.”