Georgia
Georgia football recruiting: An already mammoth UGA scavenger hunt weekend visitor list now includes 5-star OT David Sanders
This Sentell’s Intel rep on Georgia football recruiting breaks down the names that DawgNation has been able to confirm will be in Athens this weekend for the annual scavenger hunt that has developed into a major official visit weekend.
It is a [May] Georgia football recruiting tradition like no other. But it has suddenly morphed into something bigger than we’ve seen up to this point.
Georgia is set to host its biggest slate of official visitors ever for the annual scavenger hunt weekend that takes place every May. DawgNation has been able to confirm the names of four official visitors set for this weekend.
The annual scavenger hunt across the UGA campus hosts has featured pictures (and a subsequent obscure NCAA rule change) with live snakes and an at-times cutthroat competition to win the scavenger hunt that has included pilfered golf cart keys and selfie quests in the past.
Yet it now has another major 5-star visitor added to the guest list.
5-star OT David Sanders Jr. will be in Athens for the first time since a spring practice visit to check out the Bulldogs. DawgNation was able to confirm the news of the planned visit early this evening with a family source, but Steve Wiltfong on On3.com was the first with that news.
Every visit these days from Sanders is big. DawgNation has ranked the 5-star from Charlotte as the No. 1 “top target” on its weekly “Before the Hedges” listing of top prospects since the debut of the 2025 list back in November of 2023.
Sanders now ranks as the nation’s No. 1 OT prospect and the No. 2 overall recruit for the 2025 cycle on the 247Sports Composite scale. The On3 “Industry Ranking”
The Providence Day star won’t be the only 5-star in attendance over the weekend. 5-star 2026 QB commit Jared Curtis is expected to come down from Nashville for all the fun.
The expected guest list now also includes 5-star LB Zayden Walker, 5-star S Trey McNutt and also a key flip target in 4-star EDGE Isaiah Gibson out of Warner Robins. Gibson is currently committed to USC.
Lest we forget, the other major visits of the weekend will be the 48 hours of official visit time with the following prospects:
- 4-star RB Bo Jackson
- 4-star WR Marcus Harris
- 4-star WR Phillip Bell
- 4-star OL Ziyare Addison
Check out the list of names DawgNation has been able to confirm this week.
| Name | Hometown | Ranking | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-star David Sanders, Jr. | Charlotte, NC | No. 1 OT/ No. 2 | decided |
| 5-star Jared Curtis (2026) | Nashville, TN | No. 1 QB/ No. 8 | UGA commit |
| 5-star Zayden Walker | Ellaville, GA | No. 2 LB/ No. 21 | Undecided |
| 5-star Trey McNutt | Shaker Heights, OH | No. 1 S/ No. 24 | Undecided |
| 4-star Isaiah Gibson | Warner Robins, GA | No. 5 EDGE/ No. 56 | USC commit |
| 4-star TJ Alford | Fort Pierce, FL | No. 7 LB/ No. 62 | Ohio State commit |
| 4-star Bo Jackson (OV) | Cleveland, OH | No. 5 LB/ No. 71 | Undecided |
| 4-star Christian Garrett | Bogart, GA | No. 16 DL/ No. 133 | Undecided |
| 4-star Marcus Harris (OV) | Eastvale, CA | No. 15 WR/ No. 140 | Undecided |
| 4-star Phillip Bell (OV) | Los Angeles, CA | No. 16 WR/ No. 149 | Undecided |
| 4-star Mason Short | Evans, GA | No. 8 IOL/ No. 169 | UGA commit |
| 4-star Ziyare Addison (OV) | Riverview, FL | No. 22 OT/ No. 211 | Undecided |
There will undoubtedly be a few more names added to this early list. There should be a few big 2026 names that will join Curtis this weekend to start building that class.
Garrett made the list above and it sounds like the 4-star Prince Avenue DL target will make the trip, but a final decision has not been made yet.
These plans are, as always, also subject to change.
DawgNation will continue to update this list as the RSVPs roll in for the week.
Did you know the weekly DawgNation.com “Before the Hedges” program is available as an Apple podcast? Click to check it out and download it.
SENTELL’S INTEL
(check on the recent reads on Georgia football recruiting)
Georgia
Why Southern Living is spotlighting serene coastal escape in Georgia
22 sea turtles released into the ocean at Jekyll Island
Mystic Aquarium, a Connecticut-based aquarium and animal rescue organization, released 22 sea turtles into the Ocean at Jekyll Island.
A quiet stretch of the Georgia coast is back in the national spotlight.
In a recent feature, Southern Living highlighted the Golden Isles as one of the South’s most serene escapes, praising the region’s undeveloped marshes, barrier islands and slower pace compared to other East Coast beach destinations.
Located roughly halfway between Savannah and Jacksonville, the Golden Isles include Brunswick, Sea Island, St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island and Little St. Simons Island.
Here’s what to know.
What makes Georgia’s Golden Isles different?
Unlike more densely developed beach towns in neighboring states, Georgia’s coastline is defined by tidal creeks, salt marshes and wide stretches of protected land.
“The coast of Georgia is quite different than the shores of North Carolina or South Carolina,” Southern Living wrote. “It’s wilder and quieter, and it’s much less populated with beach towns.”
While the islands offer modern resorts and vacation homes, much of the natural character remains intact.
One of the most photographed spots is Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island, known for its haunting remains of a maritime forest scattered along the shoreline.
Where are visitors staying?
The publication pointed to several well-known properties across the islands:
- The Cloister at Sea Island
- Jekyll Island Club Resort
- St. Simons Island: The Grey Owl Inn and the St. Simons Lighthouse.
Little St. Simons Island, accessible only by boat, was highlighted for its all-inclusive lodge and thousands of acres of protected marshland and upland habitat.
What can you do in the Golden Isles?
Southern Living emphasized simple, immersive experiences:
- Biking under live oaks
- Kayaking through marsh creeks
- Horseback riding along the beach
- Watching sunsets over the water.
Public beaches like East Beach on St. Simons Island remain open to visitors, while golf courses on Jekyll Island and St. Simons offer year-round play.
The region’s history also plays a major role. Visitors can climb the St. Simons Lighthouse, explore historic districts in Brunswick or learn about Gullah Geechee heritage through local organizations.
For more information, visit southernliving.com/georgias-golden-isles-11906085.
Vanessa Countryman is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
Georgia
Gov. Kemp signs amended FY 2026 budget, delivering $2B in Georgia tax relief
ATLANTA, Ga. — Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp on Tuesday signed HB 973, the amended Fiscal Year 2026 budget.
The amended budget includes $2 billion in income and property tax relief, alongside investments in education, public safety, mental health, transportation and rural development.
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones praised Gov. Kemp, saying the budget…
“Makes critical investments in middle-class families, mental health services, healthcare workforce development, transportation and Georgia’s veterans community.”
Key allocations in the amended budget include:
- Education and Workforce Development: $325 million to endow the DREAMS Scholarship, a new needs-based scholarship program; $6 million for a Career Navigator tool; and funding for new and expanded programs at University System of Georgia and Technical College System of Georgia institutions.
- Public Safety: $150 million for Department of Corrections bed space, $9.7 million for additional corrections officers, $15 million for a new K-9 training facility, and $50 million to help communities address homelessness, including among veterans.
- Mental Health: $409 million to design and construct a new Georgia Regional Hospital to expand mental health bed capacity.
- Transportation: More than $1.6 billion to extend and expand I-75 express lanes in Henry County; $185 million for SR 316 interchange conversions; $100 million for rural bridge rehabilitation and replacement; and $250 million for local maintenance and improvement grants.
- Rural Georgia: $15 million for rural site development grants; $35 million for a new natural gas infrastructure program; and $8.9 million for the Georgia Forestry Innovation Initiative.
Governor Kemp says the state’s conservative budgeting approach has allowed Georgia to provide tax relief while making “generational investments.”
Georgia
Middle Georgia DSA condemns U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, calls escalation ‘illegal’
MACON, Ga. (WGXA) — Middle Georgia Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has issued a statement regarding the U.S. and Israel’s joint strikes on Iran over the weekend.
According to other WGXA articles, based on reports as of early March 2026, the United States and Israel have launched major, coordinated military operations against Iran, labeled in reports as “Operation Epic Fury” and “Operation Midnight Hammer”. This follows months of failed nuclear negotiations and escalating regional tensions.
RELATED | Hegseth insists US-Israel strikes on Iran are ‘not Iraq, not endless’
WGXA asked Middle Georgia DSA, the largest activist organization in Middle Georgia, for their opinions on the strikes, and they responded with this:
The strikes on Iran, carried out by the United States and Israel, mark a catastrophic escalation in an illegal act of aggression. The Iranian people do not deserve to live in fear of American bombs and of the instability of regime change. Americans do not want our tax dollars and the lives of our people to be wasted on opening up a new war in the Middle East, or on bombing girls’ elementary schools. We want relief from the affordability crisis. We want peace. Middle Georgia DSA unequivocally condemns these attacks and any politicians who cannot do the same. We do not want this, we do not deserve this.
DSA added that they are not currently planning any protests at this time, and that they “remain focused on improving the conditions of people who live within our communities directly, and do not feel a protest is the best strategy to deliver on that.”
Middle Georgia DSA condemns U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, calls escalation ‘illegal’, March 2, 2026 (Image is meant to say 2026 instead of 2025, Courtesy of GCSU Mutual Aid)
However, GCSU Mutual Aid, a grassroots, community-led initiative focused on collective care and resource sharing within the Milledgeville and broader Middle Georgia area. While not an official department of Georgia College & State University (GCSU), it frequently operates in coordination with student-led groups and local residents to address gaps in traditional social safety nets.
RELATED | GCSU encourages peaceful expression ahead of national ICE walkout
GCSU Mutual Aid is planning a protest for Wednesday, where they will be “Marching for Democracy” in retaliation to recent events in the U.S.
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