Five-star RB Branson Robinson to UGA: 'They finished what they started'
The nation's No. 1 running back is a lot of things: powerful, explosive and difficult to bring down in the open field. But coy is not one of them.
Over the past year-and-change, Branson Robinson has noted that Georgia was his leader. Of the several SEC teams in the mix, the Bulldogs recruited him hardest.
The five-star from Madison (Miss.) Germantown wasted no time when June arrived, making his way to Athens first, which ultimately put Georgia in the driver's seat leading into Thursday's reveal.
"They finished what they started," Robinson told Rivals.
Georgia edged out Tennessee and Alabama as the five-star also indicated the Vols finished second.
"It really came down to two -- Georgia and Tennessee -- and both were good options, but when I got down to everything and looked at the pros and cons, there were too many risks at Tennessee and too much talent, too many playmakers and too good of an O-line at Georgia."
"To be successful in the SEC, the hardest conference" he continued, "a running back needs just a little bit of help."
Robinson saw Georgia first and got an opportunity to see the sights up-close and sit down with offensive coordinator Todd Monken. He already had strong relationships with both Kirby Smart and Dell McGee, who have continued to identify intriguing ways to utilize the nation's No. 16 overall player in their offense.
"They answered all the questions we had coming in on the visit," Robinson said. "That played a big part because we sat down with Monken, we talked about how they'd use me in their scheme, how they'd use me in space and how they have the right people in place for me to be successful, to maximize my skills and my talents."
"Out of the schools I was choosing from," he added, "it was the best all-around situation."
From Athens, Robinson saw Alabama and then Tennessee close out June and skipped a visit out to Clemson and LSU in the process. He felt he could compete for carries eventually at Alabama and challenge for playing time at Tennessee even sooner.
Only the coaches at Georgia offered the 5-foot-10, 218-pound bruiser a clear-enough vision on how he could make an early dent on the offense.
"I was comparing and contrasting everything from Georgia and how Georgia was and how they did everything there. All the schools had good staffs, good coaches and I sat down with all of the offensive coordinators and talked with them," said Robinson, who then isolated himself from most contacts and steered away from social media in the days leading into his decision.
"I have a chance to make an impact at Georgia early," he affirmed. "In the SEC you have to compete for positions and I love to compete. That's what drives me. I'm willing to practice to get reps and also sit and learn, but I will get the chance to impact Georgia if I do what I'm supposed to. That's what played the biggest part."
The Bulldogs emerged as Robinson's leader last offseason during the global pandemic, which delayed his first visit to campus until June 4. The Georgia coached exceeded expectations, which set the tone for the remainder of the recruitment.
"That visit -- that's what set things apart. That's what sealed the deal," Robinson said. "I didn't get the same vibe as Georgia on my other visits. Georgia was the best situation I'd be going into and all-around a great choice."