It’s official. Burke County High School senior Cornelius Washington signed the dotted line and became a Georgia Bulldog last week.
The lightning-fast defensive end has looked forward to this day since he was first ap- proached by the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs recruited him back in July 2006 when they got a taste of the region track champion’s speed at camp. Since then, Washington has been counting the days.
As Washington gripped his pen, cameramen honed in and reporters stepped up for an interview. News hounds came from near and far to watch the Burke County standout sign.
“I’m glad to have it out of the way,” he said after the deal was sealed. “Today is the day I start the rest of my life.”
The Bulldogs’ sweet success this year made Athens even more of a magnet.
“I was so happy about my decision when I saw the outcome this year,” Washington said. “And I’m going to go right into that.”
Washington will also be going into a program where he no longer towers over his teammates and will have to earn his time on the field.
“It’s been a dream of his to play for the University of Georgia,” Bears head coach Eric Parker said. “It’s going to come down to his desire to work himself onto the field and into the line-up.”
Washington knows he needs to get busy to make his time at UGA count. And he’s not just talking about on the gridiron. He’s just as psyched about getting a degree from the state’s flagship institution.
“That’s been the main thing,” he said. “I’m more lured to the academics. That comes first. In both aspects, I think it was a great decision.”
He plans to major in sports psychology.
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