Early Enrollee Profile: Georgia ILB Raylen Wilson
Another year, another massive early enrollee group for Georgia football. The Bulldogs welcomed 18 players to campus this January, on the heels of their second National Championship in as many seasons.
It’s well-known at this point how much enrolling early enhances a newcomer’s chances of playing in his first season. The benefits are many. Players get to get acclimated to college life, get a jumpstart on their education, and go through winter workouts plus spring drills.
Spring drills are drawing to a close and the Bulldogs are in the final week. We wrap up our early enrollee profile series with a linebacker who some think might have been the crowned jewel of the class.
ILB Raylen Wilson
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 29 overall, No. 4 linebacker, No. 7 in Florida
On3 Scouting: “One of the most athletic linebackers in the 2023 cycle who looks to be an ascending prospect after continued physical development. Measured around 6-foot-1, 225 pounds prior to his senior season. Grew over an inch and added over 10 pounds during his junior season. Also saw improvement on the track, cutting several hundredths off his 100-meter time running a personal best 10.91 mark during the spring. Flashes that top end speed on the field, where he is an eraser in space with sideline-to-sideline ability. Excels in pursuit where he shows the ability to close very quickly. Can track down plays from the other side of the field.
“A natural in space and shows the ability to cover. Often plays in the box and has experience reading and reacting as a run defender. A high volume tackler with over 250 tackles, 36 tackles for loss and 16 sacks in his final two years of high school football. Physical in taking on blocks. Improved his play strength as he continued to ass mass. Turned in a standout showing at the Under Armour All-American Game, making some eye-popping plays while flashing elite closing speed. Father was a wide receiver in the NFL for five seasons and has several siblings who were high level college athletes. Younger for the class, not turning 18 years-old until the July before his freshman season in college.”
The Story…
Michigan had the big-time defender on its commitment list for a bit, over seven months to be exact. Georgia co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Glenn Schumann, however, never gave up. He stayed on Wilson after he joined Michigan’s class in December of 2021. He recruited him heavily and the five-star linebacker de-committed from the Wolverines in late June. Georgia got him on the commitment list shortly thereafter and that was that. He was solid the rest of the way.
Where Wilson fits…
The Lincoln High School (Tallahassee, Fla.) standout is the highest rated inside linebacker signee of the Kirby Smart era. Nakobe Dean was ranked one spot behind him the On3 Industry Ranking and Quay Walker was ranked 29th overall as well, but Wilson was rated higher than either guy.
He’s a freak talent at the position and that’s why he has drawn an On3 Scouting comparison to Bulldog legend Roquan Smith. Wilson is a sideline-to-sideline player capable of racking up over 100 tackles and leading a squad in tackles for loss. He can play either inside linebacker position for the Bulldogs and he’s probably going to be on the field right away.
Expectations this spring/G-Day…
He’s going to turn some heads. Wilson is just too fast not to. We’ve been hearing good things about him since about 24 hours after he joined the team in December. He has a lot to learn but the Bulldogs are going to give him a chance to play and do what he does well. If he stays healthy and continues to work, odds are high that he is one of the top linebackers in Georgia history by the time he leaves. Wilson is that talented.
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