5-Star Linebacker Sherman picks UGA over Ohio State

WASHINGTON, D.C. (FOX 5 Atlanta) - The University of Georgia's 2020 recruiting class just got a huge shot in the arm as the 2nd-ranked outside linebacker in the nation, Mekhail "MJ" Sherman picked the Dawgs over Ohio State Thursday night.

A 5-Star recruit, Sherman is a rising senior at St. John's College High School outside Washington, D.C.

FOX 5 Sports recruiting analyst Rusty Mansell was with Sherman as he made his big decision, and asked the 6-3, 234-pounder why he chose Athens over other possible college destinations.

"A lot of college visits, they focus on me," Sherman said. "At Georgia, they focused more on my family than me. Them recognizing that and focusing on that was a big plus for me."

Sherman received offers from schools all over the country including Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, Arkansas, and Arizona. He missed most of his junior season recovering from a torn ACL, but recovered nicely and stood out at high school showcase events like "The Opening", where he clocked a 4.53 forty time in July of 2018.

Sherman projects as a possible first-round NFL draft pick and is often compared to Jets linebacker C.J. Mosely. 

For now, he's focused on preparing for college. According to Sherman, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart could barely contain himself when he got the news that the Dawgs had snagged one of the top players in the nation. "A big smile, a big laugh and a big hug, man," Sherman told Mansell. "He basically embraced me and was very proud of my decision."

The Dawgs could pick up another top prospect Monday when 4-star offensive lineman Tate Ratledge of The Darlington School in Rome chooses between Georgia and Tennessee live in the 9 O'clock hour of Good Day Atlanta.

FOX 5 Atlanta reported this story from Atlanta.