Sleeper ends recruitment early

DeMario Mayfield ended his recruitment long before it heated up at a national level. The 6-foot-3 guard from Franklin County (Ga.) High School made a verbal commitment to a SEC school on Sunday night.

After Mayfield and his mother visited the University of Georgia unofficially over the weekend and heard the news that every prospect wants to hear. The Bulldogs offered a scholarship and Mayfield was quick to accept.

"I'm going to be a Bulldog. I'm going to Georgia. It's a good feeling," Mayfield said. "My mom and I have been talking about it for a week and we were waiting for him to tell us that I had a full scholarship for me. When he told me face-to-face and told me straight up that they had a scholarship for me, I was so happy."

Mayfield, who lives less than an hour away from Georgia's campus, said he is excited about the idea of playing in-state and in front of friends and family.

"That gives my family something to look forward to in the next two to three years to come and watch me play at a big time level," he said.

Mayfield is the first player to commit to the Bulldogs in the class of 2009 and shines off the court as well. That was a big draw for both parties involved.

"He told me that he liked me as a person on and off the court and liked me as a student and that meant a lot because I have a 3.5 grade point average," Mayfield said. "That was important to me. My mom loves him. I mean she loves him. We are happy."

Clemson and Florida State hosted Mayfield unofficially this fall. South Carolina, Auburn, South Alabama and others were also interested. But the bottom line was if the Bulldogs offered, it would be a short recruitment. That was the case and Mayfield couldn't be any happier.

"I like everything about Georgia. They recruited me the hardest and heard about me early," he said. "I was brought up on Georgia."