First visit to Georgia exceeds expectations of On3’s No. 1 TE Jaden Reddell

Georgia offered Jaden Reddell on Dec. 6, 2022. Todd Hartley had shown interest prior to the offer, then as soon as the offer was extended, the Bulldogs have been in pursuit of the No. 1 tight end in the On300.

The 6-foot-4, 224-pound soon-to-be senior out of Raymore (Mo.) Raymore-Peculiar has multiple visits planned in the coming weeks and it looks like Georgia set the bar high.

Reddell arrived in Athens Friday mid-day Friday, stayed all of Saturday and headed back home Sunday. He got a great feel for the SEC program run by Kirby Smart.

“I got the full visit experience at Georgia on this visit,” Reddell told On3. “I got to spend time with the coaches, watch practice, tour the campus, see the facilities and it easily met my expectations. The overall visits exceeded my expectations. I was very impressed with Georgia and it was a great visit all around.”

The visit has put Georgia in a prime position, a position only five schools will be in later this summer.

“Georgia is going to get an official visit. I loved it. My mom loved it. I am going to take an official visit in June to Georgia. We are still working on the date, but my plan is to take an official visit to Georgia in June.

“I loved Georgia before the visit and my time there just furthered my connection with them. I had a great time and I will be back.”

Reddell will visit Nebraska and Notre Dame later this week, then take visits to Tennessee, Michigan, Colorado and Oregon in April. After those, Reddell plans to trim his list and schedule more official visits before making a decision over the summer.

Reddell saw what makes Georgia, Georgia

Georgia is coming off back-to-back national championships. Smart has recruited at a high level. He has created a culture in Athens and the No. 31 prospect in the On300 saw that on this visit.

“I was able to watch practice and I loved the intensity they had,” Reddell said. “The speed they with at practice was great to see. Georgia goes high-intensity, high-tempo and they waste no time.

“Coaches coach hard, players play hard and everyone gets reps. They were physical, fast and everything was all happening fast. It was great to see.”

Smart didn’t just sit back and watch practice. He was very involved. That caught Reddell’s attention.

“Coach Smart was getting on his players, getting them to work and it was great to see how involved he was as a head coach. I saw his emotions at practice and I could see myself playing for him. He is very intense, he pushes his players and I loved how he coached and interacted with his players.”

Reddell also complimented coach Smart on how he connected with recruits, saying he was easy to talk and easy to connect with.

Hartley and Reddell have a great relationship

Hartley has quickly become known for his recruiting and development of tight ends. Darnell Washington is about the get drafted. Most consider Brock Bowers the top tight end in college football entering the 2023 season. Oscar Delp is next in line. And Georgia just signed four-stars Pearce Spurlin and Lawson Luckie this past cycle.

Landen Thomas is committed in 2024 and Georgia wants to add another piece. Could Reddell be that guy?

“Me and coach Hartley have a great connection,” Reddell said. “We talk at least once a week, we text throughout the week and he is a great coach with a great personality.

“We sat down and had some one-on-one time and it was great. He showed me how I would be used. We went over how my skills are like Bowers in Georgia’s offense and it was great.”

Reddell liked what he saw in Hartley on the practice field as well.

“In practice, Hartley gets after it. He is really close with his tight ends and the players in his room, but on the field, he goes hard. I liked how he coached his guys and got them all reps. They have a great tight ends room and all of them get work. That stood out to me.”

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