Georgia added a big piece to its 2027 class, and this one comes with a homegrown storyline Bulldog fans will appreciate.
Four-star safety Adryan Cole of Douglas County High in Douglasville committed to Georgia on Saturday. He’s rated the No. 12 safety and No. 166 overall prospect nationally in the 2027 class per the 247Sports Composite, with the Rivals Industry Ranking putting him at No. 12 safety and No. 158 overall. Before he made his call, he was the highest-rated undecided prospect in the state.
For any fan who likes to root for players who genuinely want to be in Athens, Cole fits the bill. He grew up wanting to be a Dawg, and even as his recruitment tightened between schools like LSU and Ole Miss, he kept circling back to that. His official visit to UGA last month brought it all full circle.
“It was great for the first time,” Cole said. “I’m not going to lie, it’s been a childhood dream to put that on.”
Georgia pushed for a commitment on that visit, hoping he’d shut things down right there. He held off in the moment — but not for long.
“It has been a childhood dream since I was younger,” he said. “It would just be great playing for my hometown team. It is just great having a real relationship with everybody in the building.”
The scouting report on Cole
The best read on what Georgia is getting comes from Douglas County coach Johnny White — and his comparison carries some weight. White coached SEC legend Eric Berry in high school 20 years ago at Creekside, and Cole is the closest thing he’s seen since.
“He’s got everything,” White said. “He’s the best DB I’ve had since Eric Berry. He’s physical. He’s fast. He’s knowledgeable. He understands the game.”
White expects an even bigger jump this fall after Cole ran a full track season, where he clocked the 100 meters in the 10.8 range this spring. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound safety, in White’s words, is “going to be bigger and faster than what people have seen him in the past.”
The Berry comparison isn’t the only one White reached for. He also likened Cole to current Georgia freshman Tyriq “Ty Boogie” Green, the former Buford star — and Douglas County plans to use Cole in that same everything-everywhere role this fall: safety, running back, special teams, kick and punt return.
“I just want him to do for us what ‘Ty Boogie’ did for Buford,” White said. “I’m going to let him do a little of everything. Whatever can get us winning.”
What jumps off Cole’s junior tape is his range and his tackling in space.
“He can go from the hash and the middle of the field and from the numbers to the numbers. He tackles so well. He’s got great ball skills.”
Cole could line up at free or strong safety in college, and White thinks he’s got the tools to hold up at corner, too — including in the nickel.
“Oh, I know he can do that easily,” White said. “He’s physical enough. He’s fast enough. He can play corner. I know for a fact he could play corner if need be. He’s that type of an athlete.”
As for how the Georgia staff sees him, Cole says they view him as a plug-and-play piece all across the back end.
“They see me playing every position,” he said.
