Christian Gass calls offer from Georgia 'humbling'

Christian Gass has seen his recruitment blow up in the last month, with multiple Division I programs offering the class of 2025 outside linebacker from Eastside High School (GA).

Earlier this week, Georgia offered the 6-foot-4, 205-pound linebacker from Covington, which is about 45 minutes from Athens. The offer from the Bulldogs was a dream come true for Gass.

"I was excited," Gass told UGASports, adding that he's never been to a home game in Athens.

Gass shares some familiarity with the program, however. The last time UGA's staff offered a player from Eastside, it was former Bulldog Eric Stokes, who went on to play cornerback at Georgia. Stokes then became a first-round draft pick for the Green Bay Packers a few years ago.

Gass' film recently came on the radar of Georgia outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe. His speed combined with his ability to get into the opposing offense's backfield impressed Uzo-Diribe, who then reached out to Eastside head coach Jay Cawthon.

Following a quick phone call to Uzo-Diribe, Gass had an official verbal offer from Georgia.

"Having the reigning National Champions and one of your home state teams give you an offer is humbling," Gass added. "I can’t describe how blessed I am. It's truly eye-opening."

Gass' stock has risen rapidly over the last couple of weeks. Recently, he's also received offers from Tennessee, USC, Kansas, and Cincinnati. Florida has also shown interest in Gass.

During his freshman season at Eastside, Gass played safety before transitioning into a defensive lineman as a sophomore. Finally he ended up at outside linebacker this past season.

As a junior, Gass was Eastside's third-leading tackler with 68 stops. He also had 11 tackles for loss, two sacks, and one forced fumble with a blocked field goal on special teams.

"I'm an edge, but I come down and play defensive lineman as well," Gass said. "Other than that, I am not strictly anything. Wherever I need to be, I will do that and try to be the best at that."

Growing up watching Stokes play at Georgia, Gass is very familiar with Georgia's defense. Stokes was a former three-star, and Gass loved how much the Bulldogs developed him. The development aspect of the Bulldogs is a huge selling point for Gass.

"We had someone who came from Eastside and was drafted in the first round from UGA. It was Eric Stokes," Gass said. "So we have all had a following of how many guys that have gotten drafted from there. And that’s on all three levels of the (Georgia) defense."

Gass is also well aware of how Georgia's defense rotates its players. He likes the idea of being able to line up either on the defensive line or as an outside linebacker in the future.

"I believe in my coaches and trust them, knowing my abilities (to put me where I need to be on defense)," Gass added. "I feel like I can play any possible position. I am a team player."

Gass is currently a dual-enrollment student, taking college classes. He's juggling high school and college classes while playing football and running track as well.

While it can be difficult, Gass likes the challenges of being a student-athlete.

Gass runs track to help keep him in shape, but also to improve overall football skills. He believes running short-distance races will help improve his ability to get off the line of scrimmage.

"Some of my strengths are my speed and length," Gass said. "Coaches say I have long arms. I ran track last year to gain more speed, so it’s paying off. I wouldn’t call it a weakness, but just learning different techniques as an edge player is something I want to work on."

In the next few months, Gass is planning a trip to Athens to finally visit Georgia's campus. He's excited about the opportunity and is thankful for the offer from the Bulldogs.

"There's a lot to love about the Georgia program," Gass said. "Besides the national championships and Stokes, I appreciate their strong team culture and the passion they bring to the game. It's always exciting to see their dedication and hard work pay off on the field. Plus, the atmosphere at their games is electric. Lastly, their education (is known) around the world, being one of the top academic schools. So, it’s a lot to look forward to over there"