Shadarius Toodle Flips to Georgia: A Thunderbolt in the Recruiting Wars
In a stunning twist that shook the SEC to its core, 2026 four-star linebacker Shadarius Toodle officially flipped his commitment from Auburn to Georgia, igniting a wave of celebration in Athens and disbelief on the Plains.
Toodle, a 6’2″, 220-pound sideline-to-sideline missile from Saraland High School in Alabama, had been a rock-solid Auburn pledge for months. His bond with the Tigers’ staff, especially linebackers coach Travis Williams, had been considered unbreakable. But Georgia head coach Kirby Smart is no stranger to flipping the script—and he did just that.
Sources close to the situation say Georgia never let up. Smart, alongside defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann, remained in constant contact with Toodle, visiting Saraland three times in four weeks. What changed the game? One word: vision. Georgia laid out a plan that showcased not just where Toodle would play, but how he’d be developed into the next great Bulldog linebacker in a lineage that includes Roquan Smith, Nakobe Dean, and Jamon Dumas-Johnson.
The flip became official after Toodle’s quiet, private visit to Athens over the weekend. What he saw wasn’t just facilities or hype—it was intensity, structure, and a winning culture. The trip concluded with a face-to-face with Smart in the middle of an empty Sanford Stadium under the lights.
“I closed my eyes and saw myself leading this defense,” Toodle later said in a brief but powerful Instagram post. “I’m chasing greatness, and Georgia is where my journey continues.”
Auburn fans were gutted. Online forums exploded in frustration, with some blaming NIL deals, others pointing fingers at a lack of defensive clarity from new Tigers DC Charles Kelly. But insiders insist this wasn’t about money—it was about football.
Toodle is a freak athlete with 4.5 speed, a 38-inch vertical, and a ferocious instinct for tracking down ball carriers. At Georgia, he’s projected to start at WILL linebacker by Year 2, with the possibility of seeing early rotational snaps as a freshman if he enrolls early.
The flip also sends a clear message across the recruiting landscape: Kirby Smart is still king when it comes to defensive recruiting. While Auburn has built momentum under Hugh Freeze, this high-profile loss will sting for months.
Meanwhile, in Athens, the fanbase is euphoric. Georgia now holds the No. 2 class nationally, inching ever closer to reclaiming the top spot. And with Toodle now locked in, Smart’s defensive puzzle just gained another terrifyingly good piece.
Shadarius Toodle isn’t just a commitment. He’s a symbol. A signal that Georgia’s dynasty is far from over—and might just be getting nastier.
