The 2023 Rivals National Recruiter of the Year is Georgia defensive line coach Tray Scott, who played an integral role in the Bulldogs landing the nation’s No. 2 overall recruiting class.
At just 38 years old, the Arkansas native has become a force when it comes to developing defensive line talent while simultaneously proving to be a menace for opposing programs that attempt to go toe-to-toe with him for elite talent on the recruiting trail.
Scott’s success has been well documented as a key contributor to building the nation’s most powerful football program and his impact on the game has been profound during the past eight years.
The work he put in on the road during the 2023 recruiting cycle may prove to be his best performance yet. During this year’s recruiting cycle alone, Scott was either the lead or secondary recruiter for three five-star defensive linemen in Jordan Hall, Damon Wilson and Samuel M’Pemba plus two additional four-star defensive linemen in Gabriel Harris and Jamal Jarrett. That haul alone has more upside and star power than many elite recruiters will land over an entire career and is a true testament to the force that Scott has become as a recruiter.
The players he has brought to Athens have been a major contributor toward Georgia’s status as college football’s newest dynasty. From first-round draft picks such as 2018 four-star defensive lineman Jordan Davis to 2020 four-star defensive lineman Jalen Carter – a projected top-five pick in this year’s NFL draft – Scott has been landing top recruits on the recruiting trail for years.
“With his track record of landing elite defensive line prospects and then his ability to develop them into high NFL Draft picks, Scott could be in the running for Rivals Recruiter of the Year almost every recruiting cycle. This one is no different. He did a phenomenal job landing five-star defensive tackles Jordan Hall and Jamaal Jarrett and then he assisted on other five- and high four-star prospects at defensive end.
“It’s not incredibly difficult to recruit to Georgia since the Bulldogs have had such success on the field recently but the stakes are high in battles against Alabama and other SEC competitors, along with Ohio State, Clemson and others, and Scott has done it better than almost every other assistant coach in the country.” – Adam Gorney, Rivals recruiting director
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“It’s not easy to rebuild a defensive front that has lost a boatload of high draft picks over the past couple years. But Tray Scott has taken on the challenge and excelled. He landed a pair of Rivals100 behemoths up front in Jamaal Jarrett and Jordan Hall, both of whom have a chance to play in their freshman seasons. Scott also helped Georgia land a trio of talented EDGE prospects, including two five-stars, in Samuel M’Pemba, Damon Wilson, and Gabriel Harris. Scott’s prowess on the recruiting trail has helped ensure the Georgia defense will be stout up front for years to come.” – Jed May, UGASports.com
*****
“Coach Scott just keeps it real with you, He’s honest and isn’t the type of coach that will sit there and lie to you.” – Justin Scott, 2024 five-star DL that Tray Scott is recruiting
