Michael Uini commitment: The Georgia Bulldogs get an elite four-star tackle to strengthen their O-line ahead of the 2023–24 season

Highly rated offensive tackle Michael Uini committed to playing college football with the Georgia Bulldogs on Friday night. His commitment represents a significant enhancement to the Dawgs' 2024 recruiting class, which is currently ranked No. 1 nationwide.

The offensive lineman committed to Georgia ahead of the likes of Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Clemson, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and a host of others. It is believed that the player concluded his decision after his official visit to Athens in late June.

He becomes Georgia’s third offensive line commitment in the 2024 recruiting cycle, joining Marcus Harrison and Malachi Toliver in Stacy Searels' offensive line room. He is also the 22nd overall commitment for the Bulldogs in the recruiting class.

At the start of the summer, Michigan was considered a top choice for Uini as he looked destined to stay in the South. However, after taking official visits to Alabama and Georgia, his recruitment underwent a significant shift, eventually aligning with the Bulldogs.

While it ended as a battle between Alabama and Georgia, the Copperas Cove (Texas) offensive tackle noted one of the reasons he committed to Kirby Smart’s team was the exceptional track record in developing players in his position.

“I picked Georgia because of how they develop offensive linemen, the education being top-tier, their life after football program and the connection between the coaches and the players. That connection is visible. It is easy to see Georgia coaches and players are a tight-knit group. Their bond is unbreakable.”

Uini’s relationship with Searels played a huge role

Last summer, Georgia’s offensive line coach Stacy Searels offered Uini a scholarship at the university. Since then, Searels has maintained regular communication with the player, keeping up with him and his development throughout the past year.

Uini commented on his relationship with the offensive line coach, stating both of them have built a strong bond since their first meeting in July 2022. He also mentioned his giant stride of developing offensive linemen and getting them ready for the NFL.

“I love Coach Stacy Searels. He is honest. He is genuine. Coach Searels will tell you how it is. Our relationship started last July and it is a no-brainer why he has put so many offensive linemen into the NFL.”

“He is good at getting to know people and developing offensive linemen. We clicked from the beginning. My whole family likes him. On the official visit, the connection with me and the family got stronger.”

Joining the likes of Dylan Raiola, Ellis Robinson and DeMarcus Reddick in the Georgia 2024 recruiting, four-star Uini adds another dimension to the already highly-rated class. It remains to be seen how high they can rank high in the historical rating.