Georgia picked up its fourth commitment of the week and its third of the day Friday when offensive lineman Aulden Bynum (Valdosta, Ga./Valwood) told coach Mark Richt that he wanted to be a Bulldog.
“It took him completely by surprise when I committed this afternoon,” Bynum told DawgNation. “We were in Richt’s office and I said that since we were all here I might as well tell you I am committing. Coach [Will] Friend was really happy, really excited.”
And by “all here” Bynum was referring to his family and the Georgia coaches.
“My brother was here,” Bynum said. “He lives in Mississippi so he came up today. And my parents were here too. We are going to catch the scrimmage tomorrow and come back next week for G-Day.”
Bynum says he had no hesitations about committing.
“I grew up a fan and that is where I wanted to be,” Bynum said. “I love Athens and I love the University of Georgia.”
The 6-foot-5, 250 pound lineman is yet another Valdosta standout that has committed to play for Georgia -- a trend that has paid big dividends so far with the likes of Malcolm Mitchell, Jay Rome and Michael Gilliard leading the way.
“I have never been a big FSU guy, but there are a lot of players that go down there,” Bynum said. “I really don’t know those guys at Georgia since they went to Valdosta and I went go to Valwood. I have heard of them but they haven’t heard of me.”
That will change soon enough as Bynum is Georgia’s twelfth commitment of 2013. It was November 14 before the Bulldogs had 12 commitments for the 2012 class. Bynum had double digit offers from a number of schools including South Carolina, Nebraska and Michigan State, but he decided he wanted to stay in-state.
“I never really told any reporters this but I have known for about the last two months who my top three were,” Bynum said. “I just kept that quiet. It was Georgia, Auburn and Ole Miss.”
As for being Georgia’s third commit of the day after Ryne Rankin (Orlando, Fla./East River) and Tyrin Priester (Snellville, Ga./Brookwood), Bynum says that was not planned.
“I didn’t even know who those other guys were.”
He will get to know them soon enough.