Offensive lineman Trey Hill, the No. 27-ranked prospect in the class of 2018, has decided to stay in his home state for college.
The nation's No. 1-ranked offensive guard committed to Georgia over Auburn on Monday in a recruitment that trended toward the Tigers for much of the season until a late run by the Bulldogs.
The 6-foot-5, 346-pound powerful interior run-blocker also included Florida and Florida State among his finalists, but this was a battle between the two programs that clashed during the regular season and in the SEC championship game.
Hill took multiple unofficial visits to Georgia and Auburn during the spring, summer and 2017 regular season.
The Bulldogs began gaining momentum during the season en route to the SEC championship and were given a boost when the nation's top-ranked prospect overall, quarterback Justin Fields, committed to Kirby Smart and staff on Oct. 6.
Georgia, which will play Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual, boasted the No. 5-ranked recruiting class prior to Hill's verbal. With Hill, the Bulldogs now have nine ESPN 300 pledges, with three coming after Fields' announcement: running back James Cook, pass-rusher Adam Anderson and Hill.
With Georgia topping Auburn for Hill's commitment, Smart & Co. are one step closer to again locking down the Peach State better than anyone. After signing four of the top five prospects from the state in the 2017 class, and 11 of the top 20, the Bulldogs are now set up to do the same in 2018.
Georgia is the favorite to land five-star defensive end and recent Ohio State decommitment Brenton Cox and No. 2-ranked offensive guard Jamaree Salyer. The Bulldogs are also a threat to flip in-state ESPN 300 linebacker and Michigan verbal Otis Reese.
Georgia has the No. 1-ranked recruiting class in its sights, with ESPN 300 prospects Cade Mays (offensive tackle), Luke Ford (tight end), Micah Parsons (defensive end), one-time Tennessee verbal Alontae Taylor (receiver), Channing Tindall (linebacker) and five-star K.J. Henry (defensive end) still in play, along with Cox, Salyer and Reese.
Georgia signed the No. 3 class in February and has inked a top-10 class in nine of the 13 years ESPN has ranked prospects and recruiting classes. The Bulldogs have not signed back-to-back top-five classes during that span, which they will do in February.