Kirby Smart's Georgia lands commitment of 4-star OT Juan Gaston to the class of 2025

By Maliha

Modified Aug 03, 2024 10:48 GMT

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Four-star offensive tackle Juan Gaston, from Westlake High School in Atlanta, Georgia, committed to coach Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs' 2025 class on Friday. The announcement was streamed live via YouTube from his high school and marked the end of his highly anticipated recruitment process.

“I am committed to Georgia and done with the process," Gaston told On3.

Initially planning to reveal his decision last month, Juan Gaston chose to postpone the announcement until Aug. 3, and he finalized his decision just 18 hours before the commitment ceremony.

"I took my time and I made my decision this week," Gaston said. "I was playing basketball and things started slow in 9th grade. Things started speeding up in the 10th grade and I maintained things in the 11th grade before it got more serious."

The 6-foot-7, 360-pound prospect is ranked as the nation’s No. 16 offensive tackle, the No. 29 recruit in Georgia and the No. 234 overall prospect by On3. 247Sports places him as the No. 18 offensive tackle in the nation, the No. 25 recruit in the state and the No. 169 overall prospect.

Juan Gaston shares why he chose Georgia over other programs

With offers from 36 schools, including his dream school in Oregon, South Carolina and Tennessee, Juan Gaston had no shortage of options. But after many visits and careful consideration, the Bulldogs felt like home.

“Throughout the recruiting process, I stayed pretty neutral in my head and kept an open mind. This week, my heart told me it was Georgia, so that is why I picked them,” Gaston said.

Juan Gaston had visited Athens more frequently than any other college town, and the warmth and commitment shown by Georgia's staff and players were big factors. Despite South Carolina making him feel like family and Oregon being his initial dream school, he felt a stronger pull toward Georgia.

"My heart just led me to the right place," Gaston told SI. "I feel like I'll do great there."

Gaston cherishes going back to Westlake for his senior season, and Georgia made him the priority.

“It felt like they really needed me and wanted me to come there, that’s why they were recruiting me so hard,” Gaston told On3.

A significant factor in his decision was also the relationships he built during his visits.

“When I was working to make my decision, how I bonded with the players and the coaches were two of the biggest things for me," Gaston said. "My bond with the position coach was especially important, so coach Stacy Searels and I have really bonded. Then how close I have gotten to some players on the team at Georgia was big too. How Georgia is that winning program also had them high on my list.”

Juan Gaston becomes the fourth offensive line commitment for the Bulldogs' 2025 class, which currently boasts 22 commitments and is ranked third in the 247Sports Team Rankings.