{"id":761781,"date":"2026-07-14T05:31:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T05:31:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/761781\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T05:31:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T05:31:18","slug":"tashawn-poole-the-all-american-safety-has-a-candid-pros-and-cons-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/761781\/","title":{"rendered":"Ta\u2019Shawn Poole: The All-American safety has a candid \u2018pros and cons\u2019 list"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Sentell\u2019s Intel rep on Georgia football recruiting<\/a> has the latest with 4-star Ta\u2019Shawn Poole at Howard High in Macon. He\u2019s rated as the nation\u2019s No. 5 safety and the No. 68 overall prospect for 2027 on the 247Sports Composite. The Rivals Industry Ranking has him at No. 5 safety and No. 75 overall. <\/p>\n

Howard High safety Ta\u2019Shawn Poole is set to make his college decision in four days. He\u2019s arguably the best player the city of Macon has produced in the last generation, if not longer. <\/p>\n

But that\u2019s not one of the many reasons why DawgNation should suddenly pay attention to this recruitment. <\/p>\n

There\u2019s the following: <\/p>\n

He\u2019s down to FSU, Georgia and Tennessee with the Dawgs closing like an Erling Haaland World Cup run this summer down the pitchPoole made the sort of impact in his community that saw The City of Macon declare a \u201cTa\u2019Shawn Poole Day\u201d this year and hand him a key to the cityThe 6-foot-1, 200-pound rising senior was named to the Under Armour All-American team last year as a juniorHe\u2019s widely seen as the No. 5 player in Georgia and the No. 5 safety in America for this cyclePoole represents Georgia\u2019s best remaining chance to add another top 75 overall prospect (per the 247Sports Composite) to its 2027 class. The Bulldogs only have two commits ranked that highly at this time. He has a strong family tie to FSU. His aunt, Latavia Coleman, was the first WNBA draft pick in the history of the FSU women\u2019s basketball program back in 2000. She\u2019s now the athletic director at Howard HighHe\u2019s big and athletic, making plays in all three phases of the game, including reel after reel on special teams. Poole is wired the right way. He has the mindset and drive that Georgia has routinely funneled into the NFL Draft.Loyalty stands out. He\u2019s competing in a GHSA world where players jump from school to school as if they were AAU basketball teams. It means something to him to play for his school. Even if his Huskies have only won 11 games since he\u2019s been in high school, including a 2-8 season last fall.<\/p>\n

With his recruiting decision commanding the spotlight this week, it was interesting to hear what he had to say recently after his three finalists were announced.<\/p>\n

Elite recruits typically share bushels of positivity about their finalists in the lead-up to their decision day. That\u2019s why it was interesting to hear what Poole had to say about both the \u201cPros\u201d and \u201cCons\u201d of each school. <\/p>\n

Poole shared the following Intel regarding the \u201ccons\u201d for his final three: <\/p>\n

FSU: \u201cI don\u2019t know if they are going to win or not.\u201d Georgia: \u201cI don\u2019t want to be in Georgia. … I don\u2019t know if I want to live in Georgia.\u201d Tennessee: \u201cI don\u2019t have a con with Tennessee.\u201d <\/p>\n

That\u2019s a good way to jump into the first extended DawgNation read on Poole. <\/p>\n

The weekly DawgNation.com \u201cBefore the Hedges\u201d program is available as an Apple podcast.<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

4-star safety Ta’Shawn Poole was a 2026 Under Armour All-American after his junior season. The Howard High star will make his college decision on July 17. His final three is FSU, Georgia and Tennessee. (Jeff Sentell\/DawgNation) (Jeff Sentell\/Dawgnation)<\/p>\n

Ta\u2019Shawn Poole: How does he really feel about Georgia? <\/p>\n

The feeling here is the Dawgs have been hot and cold with Poole. Howard coach Trey Porter doesn\u2019t see it that way, but Poole shared his view.<\/p>\n

Georgia has surged with him of late. Especially after his official visit on June 19.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would say from the outside looking in, that would be the way to look at it,\u201d he said. \u201cBecause I had a visit with Miami at first before Georgia, but they ended up taking a safety before me.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cI was going to go to Georgia regardless, but it was just like a weekday visit. I ended up going the last official visit weekend.\u201d <\/p>\n

The Bulldogs had previously made his final six. They\u2019ve always been up there. How did Georgia boost its stock to a true contender for his decision? <\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve been one of the top schools that I have,\u201d Poole said. \u201cBut I just had to get down there and have a couple meetings with all the coaches. I guess like I really improved for them during the last 365 days.\u201d <\/p>\n

There are a lot of UGA folks in his family circle. Especially his father. <\/p>\n

\u201cI was forced to be a Dawg fan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Yet things got a little more real when he put on the UGA gear for his official visit photo shoot. <\/p>\n

\u201cOh, it felt good being in that red, black and white,\u201d he said. \u201cKnowing that it was the hometown school is what it is all about for real.\u201d <\/p>\n

What\u2019s the biggest reason why he\u2019d choose the Dawgs this Friday? <\/p>\n

\u201cThe hometown school man,\u201d Poole said. \u201cI just know the DawgNation and the fans and the people around me that would support them. The winning. The culture and coach Kirby Smart. Coach Kirby. The head coach.\u201d <\/p>\n

What\u2019s Georgia\u2019s plan for his development? <\/p>\n

\u201cJust to get me through to the league,\u201d he said. \u201cThe same thing they\u2019ve had with all the safeties that have been through up there. I just know that I\u2019d get to the league if I were to go to Georgia right now.\u201d <\/p>\n

The Dawgs have made a surge.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey done made my situation get a little harder throughout all the three schools,\u201d Poole said. \u201cJust because they have gotten really involved here in the last minute and because they are the hometown school, like I said.\u201d <\/p>\n

Poole will watch film of former Alabama and Ohio State All-American safety Caleb Downs before every game. The fact that Georgia safeties coach Travaris Robinson coached him in Tuscaloosa is another factor here. <\/p>\n

Smart also looms large. <\/p>\n

\u201cCoach Smart was a DB,\u201d he said. \u201cI know he\u2019s a DB coach. I know he\u2019s going to be on me every day. He\u2019s a hard-coaching guy. That\u2019s what I know I want.\u201d <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

4-star safety Ta’Shawn Poole was a 2026 Under Armour All-American after his junior season. The Howard High star will make his college decision on July 17. His final three is FSU, Georgia and Tennessee. (Jeff Sentell\/DawgNation) (Jeff Sentell\/Dawgnation)<\/p>\n

Ta\u2019Shawn Poole breaks down his finalists<\/p>\n

Poole offered up an honest take on where his recruiting is right now. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve already got all the \u2018Pros and Cons\u2019 with all the schools,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I don\u2019t know how to really say it all without spoiling it really.\u201d <\/p>\n

Why would he ultimately choose FSU? <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the tradition, man,\u201d he said. \u201cThe coaching staff loves me. I\u2019ve been a priority for the school and just the whole staff. Even the players there. It felt like I was home when I was there a couple of times.\u201d <\/p>\n

Tennessee? <\/p>\n

\u201cJust the relationship I have with the coaches,\u201d he said. \u201cThey are a winning program and things like that and of that nature.\u201d <\/p>\n

Poole did a lot of everything for Howard last fall. He made 40 tackles, intercepted two passes, returned a punt for a touchdown and recorded two tackles for losses and a sack<\/p>\n

Those talents extended to the offensive side with 30 catches for 454 yards and seven scores. He also had 33 carries for 200 yards and four scores.<\/p>\n

The first few plays on his junior tape reflect every bit of that. His reel starts out with two punt-return scores, a Pick-6, and another leaping interception, where he skied to reach the ball at its highest point as an over-the-top safety in coverage. <\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people\u2019s best players don\u2019t play special teams,\u201d Howard coach Trey Porter said. \u201cTa\u2019Shawn has blocked kicks. He\u2019s blocked field goals. He\u2019s got sacks. He\u2019s returned punts and kicks.\u201d <\/p>\n

His junior highlights are embedded below. The ball skills really stand out here. He could honestly be recruited as a high-level receiver just as much as the safety spot. That\u2019s the type of athletes in the KJ Bolden and Malaki Starks mold that UGA has developed into first-round NFL Draftees.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

4-star safety Ta’Shawn Poole was a 2026 Under Armour All-American after his junior season. The Howard High star will make his college decision on July 17. His final three is FSU, Georgia and Tennessee. (Jeff Sentell\/DawgNation) (Jeff Sentell\/Dawgnation)<\/p>\n

Have you subscribed to the DawgNation YouTube channel? If so, you will see special 1-on-1 content with key 2027 recruits like Jaxon Dollar, Joakim Gouda and Kemon Spell.<\/a><\/p>\n

Check out this week\u2019s \u201cBefore the Hedges\u201d weekly Georgia football recruiting special on YouTube below<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This Sentell\u2019s Intel rep on Georgia football recruiting has the latest with 4-star Ta\u2019Shawn Poole at Howard High…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":761782,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[399,6606,6603,6602,326094,398,396,397,99,326095,6605,6604],"class_list":["post-761781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ncaa-football","tag-football","tag-georgia-football","tag-georgia-football-recruiting","tag-georgia-recruiting","tag-howard-high-football","tag-ncaa","tag-ncaa-football","tag-ncaafootball","tag-sports","tag-tashawn-poole","tag-uga-football-recruiting","tag-uga-recruiting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/761781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=761781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/761781\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/761782"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=761781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=761781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=761781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}