Georgia Tech Loses In-State Recruiting Battle To The Georgia Bulldogs For Four Star DL Anthony Lonon JR

Rival Bulldogs beat Georgia Tech in an in-state battle for a blue chip prospect

Clarke Central s Anthony Lonon Jr (88) and Kelin Fanning (43) sack Oconee s Titus Watkins (14) during a GHSA high school football game on Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. | Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

Georgia Tech loses out on four-star defensive lineman Anthony Lonon Jr, who chose the rival Georgia Bulldogs over the Yellow Jackets. No big surprise here with Lonon being a UGA legacy. His dad played football for the Bulldogs, and his mom was a Double Dawg degree recipient.

Georgia Tech was firm in the recruiting, and Lonon built a relationship with defensive line coach Jess Simpson, who continued to foster a strong rapport with Lonon. Ultimately, he chose Athens to continue his college career.

According to 247Sports Composite, Lonon Jr is a four-star prospect, the No. 35 player in Georgia, the No. 35 DL, and the No. 289 nationally. He’s continued to rise in the ranks and get national attention after a stellar junior season.

London Jr burst onto the scene during his junior season, finishing with 51 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and eight sacks. He is known for his ability to knife past offensive lineman and dominant in the three technique. He always positions his hands in the right way, and if you aren’t careful, he can run through with his power and strength.

Lonon Jr is a strong defensive lineman who has a standout out performance in track and field this season. He was a Georgia 5A sectional qualifier in the discus and a regional qualifier in the shot put. He finished with a 142-8 in the discus and a 43-2.5 in the shot put, displaying his power and strength.

Georgia Tech currently has three defensive linemen committed for the 2026 class in Alex Willis, Amier Clarke, and Freddie Wilson. With recruiting for the 2026 class slowing down with the season fastly approaching, Georgia Tech will likely be quiet on the recruiting trail until the end of the season when signing day approaches. Then, anything is possible, and they could try and flip some players.

At ACC Media Days last month, Brent Key was asked about how the Yellow Jackets performance on the field was helping them keep in-state talent home:

"Yeah, that's something we set out in the very beginning is to recruit the best players for Georgia Tech. All that starts in Atlanta, and then in the state of Georgia, and then it works out to Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and through Louisiana, and maybe every now and then we'll find somebody from a little small town in East Texas, Longview."

This was a loss for the Yellow Jackets on the trail, but look for them to continue chopping away to bring in another strong class.