The Georgia Bulldogs picked up recruit No. 20 on Saturday night in Alpharetta, Ga. outside linebacker Naim Mustafaa. Mustafaa is listed at 6-foot-4, 235-pounds and is a four-star recruit who had over 30 offers, but the two schools that it ultimately came down to were Georgia and Georgia Tech.
Mustafaa said that it was not an easy decision to make in picking Georgia over Georgia Tech:
"Both schools did such a good job and it was such a hard decision to make," said Mustafaa. "Both defenses are great fits for me, and I really liked both schools, but I just wanted to play for Coach (Todd) Grantham's defense. It is so explosive, and I feel I fit perfect in that defense."
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"I'm a Bulldog and I'm really excited to get in there," Mustafaa said. "I can't wait to be a part of a great defense and I think there is going to be a lot of winning going forward. I can't wait to play out there in front of 80 or 90 thousand fans. That is one of the best things about playing football and I know we won't be playing in front of empty seats at Georgia."
The decision came when Mustafaa was on campus on Saturday, but he knew before his trip he was going to commit to Georgia but he wanted to tell the coaches in person.
Here is a scouting report on Mustafaa:
Mustafaa has tremendous length and uses it well. His long arms and long, flexible torso allow him to keep blockers at bay until he finds the ball and separate from that block after the ball is located. Those long arms will also help him create havoc on the edge at the next level in Georgia's 3-4 defense as it will be tough to throw outside of the hash marks to his size due to his length and athleticism.
One thing that really stands out about Mustafaa on film is the way he closes on the football. He has an excellent ability to explode once he zeros in on the ball carrier and that kind of explosion will help him cause turnovers in the future.
Mustafaa also possesses an excellent ability to move laterally and string plays out so that help defenders can close. He understands lateral leverage very well and rarely loses containment when he is given that responsibility.
Lastly, Mustafaa is relentless. Whether he is knocked down during a play, loses balance, or gets blocked, he never gives up on the play and will often make plays down the field with energy and hustle.
Mustafaa is the first linebacker that Georgia has earned a verbal commitment from.
For more on UGA football, visit the Georgia blog Dawg Sports, SEC blog Team Speed Kills and SB Nation Atlanta.