Kirby Smart sent out his Go Dawgs tweet again this week. Cornerback Justice Fitzpatrick announced his commitment this week to Georgia. If the last name sounds familiar to Georgia fans, it should. Fitzpatrick’s older brother, Minkah, played for Smart at Alabama. The elder Fitzpatrick played for the Tide from 2015 to 2017. He played safety and the “star” position, a key in Smart’s defense. Fitzpatrick was a two-time All-American, won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation’s best defensive player, and won the Jim Thorpe Award for top defensive back in 2017.
The younger Fitpatrick was being recruited by both Georgia and Alabama. It was the relationships, though, that won him over to the Red and Black. As he told On3’s Chad Simmons back in March, “I know him well, my family knows him well, and we have a great relationship. I have gotten to know the coaches at Georgia well, I have worked with them at camp, and I feel like Georgia checks off most of my boxes.” Here is a closer look at Georgia’s newest commit and a quick look at the recruiting battles between Alabama and Georgia.
Sorry, Bama: Justice Fitzpatrick Commits to Georgia
Position: Cornerback
Height: 6′
Weight: 185 lbs
School: St. Thomas Aquinas
Other schools recruiting him: Alabama and Texas
Fitzpatick is in line with his older brother. Here is the scouting report on Smart’s newest Dawg:
“Outside corner with first-class bloodlines that meets key height/weight/speed thresholds. Not afraid to play through hands at the catch point and will finds ways to avoid flags…Should be viewed as a potential multi-year starter at the Power Four level that could thrive in a quarters-heavy system given how he reads and reacts. Advanced feel for the game might have him on the field sooner rather than later.” – Andrew Ivins, 247Sports
Georgia vs. Alabama: Tops in Recruiting
Since Smart took over as Georgia’s head football coach in 2016, Georgia and Alabama have consistently been at the top of the recruiting rankings. Smart is one of the top disciples from Nick Saban’s coaching tree. He has brought over his version of The Process to Athens. Here is a quick look at how the two schools have been locked in a recruiting battle since 2017.
| Year | Alabama Rank | Georgia Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | #1 | #3 |
| 2018 | #5 | #1 |
| 2019 | #1 | #2 |
| 2020 | #2 | #1 |
| 2021 | #1 | #4 |
| 2022 | #2 | #3 |
| 2023 | #1 | #2 |
| 2024 | #2 | #1 |
| 2025 | #4 | #2 |
Georgia vs. Alabama Top Commitment Battles
Georgia and Alabama are regularly in the mix for top-ranked players. Let’s take a quick look at some of the key head-to-head wins for both programs.
Georgia Wins:
-
Justin Fields (2018) – 5
QB from Georgia. Georgia won despite Alabama’s interest. Fields would eventually transfer from Georgia to Ohio State and was the 11th pick by the Chicago Bears in the 2021 NFL Draft. -
Nolan Smith (2019) – 5
EDGE, nation’s #1 overall recruit. Smith was epitome of a Damn Good Dawg and helped Georgia win two national championships. Smith was drafted 30th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and won a Super Bowl earlier this year with many of his Georgia teammates. -
Jalen Carter (2020) – 5
DT, who became a dominant force on UGA’s defense. Carter was a force inside for Georgia and helped them win an SEC and national championship. (We can still see him lifting up Jayden Daniels in Atlanta.) Carter was selected 9th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Alabama Wins:
-
Tua Tagovailoa (2017) – 5
QB. Georgia was in early, but Bama closed hard. Tagovailoa broke the hearts of Georgia fans in the 2018 National Championship game, throwing a game-winning touchdown to DeVonta Smith on 2nd-and-26 in overtime. Tagovailoa took his talents to South Beach and was drafted 5th overall by the Miami Dolphins in the 2020 NFL Draft. -
Patrick Surtain II (2018) – 5
CB. Georgia was a finalist. Surtain delivered two standout performances against Georgia during his time at Alabama. In the 2020 regular season matchup, he had five tackles and a pass breakup, earning Defensive Player of the Week honors. He elevated his game later that year in the SEC Championship Game, recording a season-high seven tackles. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos 9th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. -
Caleb Downs (2023) – 5
S from Georgia. Huge in-state loss for UGA. Georgia had the opportunity to recruit Downs again after he entered the Transfer Portal when Saban retired. Downs once again spurred the Dawgs and went to Columbus, where he led the Buckeyes to a National Championship. Downs is a preseason Heisman favorite and will be a high draft pick come the NFL Draft.
Main Photo: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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