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Published Feb 22, 2019
Christian Academy of Louisville's John Young offered by Georgia and Auburn
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Dave Lackford  •  KentuckyPreps
Analyst
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@RivalsDave

John Young has had a busy Friday. He announced offers from Georgia and Auburn this afternoon and it appears these new opportunities have made things complicated for what looked like a recruitment in clear focus of five to six schools.

Last time we spoke, Young gave an unofficial top five but since then he has determined that was premature and he is giving a seriously look to all new programs who are interested in him.

The new interest does not however, affect his plans to choose and announce his school on July 6th, which is his 18th Birthday.

"The new interest from these great schools is exciting and humbling. I want to get down to Auburn and Georgia and meet the coaches and see those campuses but I have set a date for my decision and when that date comes I'm done, it's over," expressed Young. "I plan on taking my official visits this Spring and shutting it down on July 6th, that's what I've decided and I'm going to stick to that."

Georgia's offensive line coach Sam Pittman reached out to Young today and extended an offer.

"Coach Pittman told me he watched my film for the first time today," said Young.

"I don't know what took so long but I knew we had to offer you right away," that's Young quoting Pittman.

While Young posted the Georgia offer before the Auburn offer, he gave a behind the scenes look at how both schools approached him and divulged that Auburn actually offered him first.

"Georgia wanted me to visit March second but I already had plans to visit Auburn. I wanted to wait to get to Auburn and get a picture with the coaches before announcing their offer. But when Georgia offered me today I decided to just posted them both today," confessed Young. "Honestly who offered first isn't a big deal, I'm just excited to get down to both schools because they're great programs and I'm obviously pumped they think I'm good enough to play for them."

While Sam Pittman is Young's point man from Georgia, Auburn's offensive line coach JB Grimes is Young's main recruiter from Auburn.

"My guy at Auburn is JB Grimes he's the offensive line coach there. He told me that I have the frame and potential to be great at Auburn and wants the chance to coach me to the next level. It's humbling to hear that," said Young.

Georgia and Auburn have not had a traditional presence in Kentucky, they have recently offered four quarterback Beau Allen and from Lexington Catholic and four-star athlete Vito Tisdale from Bowling Green. Young was the first 2020 Kentucky prospect to receive an offer from Auburn in his class, and the first Kentucky prospect to receive an Auburn offer since Landon Young in the class of 2016.

"I understand that Kentucky is an under recruited state and some of these schools don't have a coach who is in charge of Kentucky so when one of these schools like Georgia or Auburn reach out I'm humbled and honored to be recognized," said Young.

Both schools have expressed interest in Young at tackle and Young is receptive to that but isn't apposed to moving inside in the SEC.

Other schools still in the mix for Young are Kentucky, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Louisville, and surprisingly North Carolina. Young is set visit UNC on March 9th.

"I love coach (Lonnie) Galloway," professed Young.

Galloway was formerly an assistant offensive coordinator and wide receiver's coach at Louisville and has history with the four-star offensive tackle prospect.

"Coach Galloway is cool, he's always been my guy. He was the one from the old Louisville coaches to offer me and he's one of the few coaches who have actually seen me play in person," said Young. "I'm going to go down there and visit Chapel Hill on the ninth, I'll probably visit Georgia shortly after that."

Dave's deliberations:

What looked like a condensed battle between Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State has now expanded. Young says that both Auburn and Georgia will be given serious consideration as well as North Carolina. If you ask me I think Kentucky is uncomfortably in the driver seat here with Georgia and Auburn on their back bumper with Louisville and the Big Ten schools fading in the rearview. Young's recruitment once had a Big Ten flavor but it appears that the new offers from the SEC have cleansed his palate and things won't come into focus until he takes his official visits in the coming months.