Elite WR CJ Wiley commits to Georgia Bulldogs signalling a major boost for Kirby Smart's program

By Rotsen Rick Tidoy

Modified Nov 07, 2024 14:57 GMT

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Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs finally have their wide receiver as Milton High School star CJ Wiley has committed to Georgia. This was confirmed by On3's Hayes Fawcett on Wednesday, with the Bulldogs possibly ending their wide receiver woes with his commitment.

Wiley is considered a four-star prospect, ranked No. 81 from the class of 2025. He is also the No. 12 ranked wide receiver and the No. 10 overall player in the state of Georgia for his class.

The Milton High School star chose his home state's school over LSU, Texas A&M, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Alabama and others. With CJ Wiley's commitment to the team, Georgia now has 25 commitments from the class of 2025.

Several high-profile recruits joining CJ Wiley with the Bulldogs include other four-star prospects, such as Talyn Taylor, Tyler Williams and Thomas Blackshear.

CJ Wiley had 68 receptions for 1,473 yards and 14 touchdowns during his junior year, with him averaging 21.7 yards per catch. His coach at Milton High School, Ben Reaves Jr., has praised the wide receiver for his hard work and dedication.

He has been described as very athletic and this runs in the family as his father, Chuck Wiley, was an NFL player who played in the league for seven seasons and was also a two-time All-SEC selection. He used to play for the LSU Tigers in college and the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL.

What CJ Wiley's recruitment means for Kirby Smart's Georgia

For years, the Georgia Bulldogs have suffered a wide receiver drought, with the school being often criticized for its inability to recruit and develop wide receivers. CJ Wiley could change that.

This inability to recruit good wide receivers has been ongoing long before Kirby Smart took over head coaching duties. The Bulldogs have not had a 1,000-yard pass catcher for over 20 years and have not had a first-round selection at the position for over 10 seasons.

Wiley's statistics have proven that Coach Smart's program can indeed recruit talented wide receivers, and should he remain committed to Georgia, that long-standing 1,000-yard receiver drought may finally end.

The wide receiver originally committed to the Florida State Seminoles. He committed to the school last January but chose to decommit after the school's fourth consecutive loss that season. Soon after bowing out of his FSU commitment, Georgia became the favorite to sign Wiley, and Smart's recruitment drive proved successful soon after.