Georgia finds a Malaki Starks successor with 4-star commitment

Tyler Brooke

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Georgia finds a Malaki Starks successor with 4-star commitment image

The Georgia Bulldogs have gotten into a habit of producing NFL-caliber safeties in recent years. Rashad Johnson hopes to develop into one of those quickly.

Kirby Smart and his staff landed a commitment from Johnson, a 4-star safety, over the weekend heading into SEC Media Days. On3's Hayes Fawcett announced via X that Johnson was committing to Georgia.

Johnson is a 6-foot-2, 200-pound safety out of Bushnell, Florida. 247Sports had him ranked as a 4-star safety and the No. 33-ranked player in the state of Florida for 2025.  Judging from his comments to On3, he seems to have the right mentality for playing at Georgia.

"Georgia is a tough place to play," Johnson admitted. "It is not easy there and I like that. I have to work and compete at Georgia. They will push me and I can’t wait for that. I think my skills fit what Georgia is looking for and I am ready to work with the coaches."

The Bulldogs are hoping that Johnson can eventually replace All-American safety Malaki Starks. Although he's only heading into his junior season, Starks is already about to be a three-year starter and is projected to be a first-round pick based off the most recent 2025 draft consensus board. 

A player like Johnson wouldn't need much time to find his way onto the field at the college football level. He has a similar build to Starks, but he'll also have to compete for playing time with fellow 2025 recruit Jaylan Morgan.

The Bulldogs continue to build out an extremely strong recruiting class. They currently have the third-ranked class for 2025 behind the Alabama Crimson Tide and Ohio State Buckeyes, with the class headlined by 5-star EDGE Isaiah Gibson.

Keep an eye on Johnson over the coming years to see what kind of role he'll end up playing on the Bulldogs defense. 

Tyler Brooke

Tyler Brooke Photo

Tyler Brooke has been covering football for more than 12 years. His experience includes writing for multiple outlets including Bleacher Report, FanDuel, and SB Nation. He currently serves as an assistant football coach for Carmel High School, and is the co-author of The Science of Football.