Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs offer scholarship to four-star athlete Joey O'Brien to the Class of 2026

By Maliha

Modified Nov 10, 2024 15:30 GMT

Four-star prospect Joey O'Brien is primarily seen as a safety but has also been classified by some recruiting services as an athlete due to his versatility. He has received more than 20 offers, and Kirby Smart's Georgia has also offered a scholarship to him for the Bulldogs' 2026 class.

On Thursday, O'Brien shared the news on X, writing:

"Beyond blessed to receive an offer from the University of Georgia! @GeorgiaFootball @LaSalleFball @KirbySmartUGA @CoachDee_UGA @ChadSimmons_ @BrianDohn247 @SWiltfong_ @adamgorney."

Georgia's 2025 class received the latest commitment from four-star wide receiver Vance Spafford last week, beating out Ole Miss, Oregon and Nebraska. The class holds two more committed players in four-star cornerbacks, Dominick Kelly and Jontavius Wyman.

The Bulldogs' 2025 class has slipped from No. 3 to No. 9 in the nation following the decommitments of five-star quarterback Jared Curtis and five-star running back Derrek Cooper. Besides Joey O'Brien, the school also offered multiple safety prospects in the cycle, including Blaine Bradford, Bralan Womack, Jett Washington, Justice Fitzpatrick and Jireh Edwards, among others.

Joey O'Brien opens up about Penn State's appeal

Joey O'Brien has become one of the most coveted recruits for Penn State right now. He was in attendance during the Nittany Lions' matchup against Ohio State on Nov. 2, and despite the 20-13 loss, O'Brien was impressed with the program's pitch for him.

“They always do a great job making me feel like a priority there,” O’Brien said (via NSN). “I have great connections with the people in that building. It’s easy to be around those guys. They are consistent with their message about me being a priority.”

Notre Dame is pretty high on O'Brien, and the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine also gives the Irish an 88.2% chance of securing his commitment, while Penn State holds only a 6.2% potential. However, Nittany Lions coach James Franklin remains unwavering in pursuing O'Brien.

"His message to me was, 'You’re coming here, you’re not leaving PA.' He is stressing I’m a priority, and I appreciate it," O'Brien said about Franklin's strong push.

For now, O’Brien is focused on leading LaSalle in its push for a state title, and he plans to revisit his recruitment timeline once his high school season concludes.