Aaron Gregory, No. 4 junior WR, on UGA suddenly surging in its recruiting

This Sentells Intel representative on Football Team Recruitment in Georgia has the latest on 4-star junior Aaron Gregory. He's ranked as the No. 5 WR and No. 31 overall prospect in the country for 2026 by the 247Sports Composite. The On3 Industry Ranking has him as the No. 4 WR and No. 31 overall.

Let's turn back time a little bit, about two and a half months. That was when the writing was on the wall for Georgia.

It wasn't good.

The Dawgs were on their way to seeing another highly skilled WR from their own state leave the Peach State.

Douglas County's Aaron Gregory is rated the No. 4 WR in the country by the On3 aggregation. He's the No. 5 nationally by the 247Sports algorithm. But he wasn't feeling the Dawgs at all this summer.

That's because it didn't appear the Dawgs were interested in him.

No contact, that's how Gregory described it.

That was until wide receivers coach James Coley and Kirby Smart entered the picture, as did the popular, street-smart Omar character on the critically acclaimed television series The Wire.

Coley is coming.

Kirby is coming.

That meant the Dawgs were coming. Finally.

He got his class of 2025 and he came right after me, Gregory said of Coley. It's just kept going ever since. Georgia, them, I love them now. I love them.

That's because he will love people who love him.

Exactly, Gregory said. I'll go anywhere someone shows me love. I'll tell everyone this. Of course I want to play, but if you show me love [Im going to] show your love. I'll go wherever love is shown.

There’s an interesting recruiting situation in Douglasville. The Tigers have not one but two receivers in 2026 that Coley and Smart would Deadpool dance to NSync if they could find a way to sign.

Gregory's update appears today on the pages of DawgNation.com. The story of Devin Carter's, a legacy of the NFL and FSU, will be published tomorrow.

How did Coley get UGA back in the mix?

So I'm here [in Georgia] and he told me to come down and we're gonna do this and that and just vibe and just chill, he said. He tapped my phone. Texted me a little bit. Just chill.

What does the Augusta native like most about the Dawgs right now? That's a good question.

Ooh, he said. I like how they're, well, everybody thinks Georgia's a run-run school. But they've gotten more diverse over the years. Especially last year and this year. From the practices I've seen, they're definitely going to throw it [this year].

What can Georgia Gregory show this fall to confirm that? Does the program need a Dawg to break the hallowed 1,000-yard receiving mark? Maybe two? And how about Carson Beck winning the Heisman Trophy as a QB?

Gregory won't need much for that. He's already seen growth.

Just the receiver technique has changed a lot, Gregory said. From coach Coley to BMac. BMac has done an absolutely great job, but Coley has taken his job and made it a lot better.

What was he thinking about UGA before this summer revival?

They originally made me an offer, but I still, like I said before, didn't get much contact, so they were really low, Gregory said. Love is all I need.

How did they do it? It started with a camp visit and a minor injury of all.

“It was actually from our 7-on-7 game,” Gregory said. “Coach Coley took me aside and talked to me. Kirby took me aside and talked to me. They've been texting me ever since.”

The Bulldogs now rank among the schools that most rely on Gregory, along with Texas A&M and Tennessee.

Sure, said Gregory.

The 4-star wideout said Smart also plays a role.

“I originally got hurt in their camp,” Gregory said. “I had a quadriceps contusion. I got hit in the back of the end zone. He just told me to go to the trainers. That they're going to cool you down and he just showed me love and just talked to me.

Gregory feels like a priority for UGA now. That's a big jump. Georgia and Gregory are in contact multiple times a week now, including two or three times on the weekend.

What was it like before that?

None, he said, laughing. Really.

That zero-to-potential 2026 hero has caught his attention.

Sure, he said

This marks an important step in the battle to secure one of the state's most sought-after candidates for the 2026 class.

What should the ideal school Gregory show?

Just the relationship with me, Gregory said. That's one. And then taking care of my parents and sisters. That's it really. Just taking care of the fam.

He has a general timetable in mind for the decision.

“I think I want to commit for the spring,” he said. “If not, December. I'm definitely going to be an early enrollee on campus to get the script and stuff like that down.”

Georgia has definitely made a comeback in the recruiting process with 4-star junior WR Aaron Gregory. The Dougals County two-way player is one of the top athletes in the country for the Class of 2026. He is rated as the No. 4 and No. 5 WR prospect by both major aggregate ranking services. (Jeff Sentell/ DawgNation) (Jeff Sentel/Dawgnation)

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Aaron Gregory: We're pausing this recruiting update for the real thing

Read that part about family with Gregory again. His inner circle means a lot to him.

That's not just because his six-year-old sister is so incredibly cute that she could make the horniest coach laugh if she stopped by for a cuddle during competition preparation.

That's exactly how she made Douglas County's Johnny T. White smile before that practice game, when she trotted up to him with a big white ribbon in her hair.

It wasn't just the sweet way his mother and eldest sister hugged him halfway through the interview that ended the match.

It was all of it.

That was evident when I looked at the fresh ink Gregory received this summer for his junior season. It features three roses for his two sisters and his mother.

It's my sister Savanna and Trinity and then my mother Rhonda, he said.

This body decoration was his idea to honor six-year-old Savannah and his twenty-year-old sister Trinity.

His sisters and mother are his reason in this great game.

I want to give my sisters whatever they want, Gregory said. Really. My little sister says she wants a Lambo truck. I'm going to get it for her.

Considering the way he's been playing so far, that could well be the case.

What is the scouting report on Aaron Gregory?

Gregory is an incredible talent. He is considered one of the top five receivers in the country in the class, but watching him play over the years, I always felt like he could be a Kyle Hamilton or even an Eric Berry-level talent at safety.

The thinking there was that he could play four or five years in the NFL as a receiver, but maybe seven or eight years as a safety. That's how diverse his skill set is here.

But that was the evaluation of last year. He may have improved his long-term future on both sides. That was the conclusion when I saw him play against Lithia Springs in a practice game last Friday night.

It was scary to see what he did to track the football in the air. He caught at least four deep balls that all went at least 30-35 yards in the air. That said, every single one of those balls was called back.

There was one throw that was clearly out of bounds and he twisted his body like an acrobat to catch it. It was at least two yards out of bounds, but it looked like he caught it anyway to prove he could do it.

When asked about it later, he had a different opinion.

He just didn't want it to get on the court and get damaged, he said. Our QBs don't want their balls getting damaged.

That's some real ball hawk talk.

According to MaxPreps, he had 41 catches for 795 yards and eight scores in 2023. Those grabs were good for 19.4 yards per reception. He has set goals for 1,200 yards and nine TDs in 2024. He wants two interceptions on defense.

Junior season, he said. Just trying to stay healthy and do what I know I can do.

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound player proved to be a willing run blocker. He is unselfish and highly coachable. When he needed more information about his assignments, he sought out his coaches and absorbed what he needed.

Watch Gregory's second film below. That reel of his playoff highlights. It's still 4:27 long.

That also says something about his skills in that area.

Have you subscribed to the DawgNation YouTube channel yet? If so, you'll see special 1-on-1 content with top 2025 prospects like Ethan Barbour, Ryan Montgomery, Elijah Griffin, and Justus Terry

SENTELLS INTEL

(check out recent Georgia football recruiting articles)