Georgia has landed a commitment from Valdosta (GA) defensive lineman Corey Howard.

Howard chose the in-state Bulldogs over rival Florida.

Howard recently took his official visit to Georgia and returned for a workout a week later. He loved how the Bulldog defensive staff compared him to Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker.

"I think it's just big shoes to fill, and I think that I've prepared myself enough to be able to come in and be that guy for him," Howard told UGASports. "Talking to Coach [Tray] Scott and Coach [Chidera] Uzo-Diribe, I think those are two guys that's going to help me come in and develop how I need to play at the next level. So, I'm just looking for that wherever I go."

Development is important to the 6-foot-6, 260-pound three-star defensive line prospect, and he appreciates how Georgia's coaches develop first-round NFL draft picks at his position.

Howard called committing to Georgia a "no-brainer."

During Howard's most recent workout, he liked how hard the coaches pushed him. Howard felt like he had proved himself, and after that, he received the green light from the staff to commit.

"It was just hard work being put in," the new Georgia commit said. "I was just there to show them I could do this, and I was just going to prove to them that I could do what they talked about."

Howard also chose the Bulldogs because of his relationship with head coach Kirby Smart.

Howard said that Smart is very "straightforward" with him about everything.

"He isn't ever going to shoot me anything sideways," Howard said. "He always tells me the truth about how he feels and what's going on, and the best way for me to get playing time if I come there. It's just a straightforward relationship. He is a very straightforward guy."

The Bulldogs' staff plans to use Howard in multiple roles on the defensive line.

Howard is Georgia's 20th commitment of the 2026 class. The Bulldogs landed four-star edge rusher Khamari Brooks on Monday. He joins Carter Luckie and Seven Cloud as a defensive line commits.