Luke Griffin is 15 years old with a size 18 shoe and a football scholarship offer from the University of Georgia.
Griffin became Georgia's first commitment for its 2019 signing class Saturday afternoon when the North Murray High offensive tackle gave a nonbinding pledge to first-year Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart during a minicamp in Athens. The 6-foot-6, 282-pounder called North Murray coach Preston Poag as soon as he stepped out of Smart's office.
"I'm really proud of him, because he's a really awesome kid," Poag said Saturday night. "He will walk up and shake the hands of these coaches and look them straight in the eye. He's going be a big leader for their program.
"I can tell you right now that he's a better defensive player, but I think he'll be an offensive lineman in college. He can run and has great feet, and that's why they like him."
Griffin started every game last season as a North Murray freshman and has been drawing interest from colleges ever since. Poag said Bulldogs offensive coordinator Jim Chaney came by the Chatsworth school on the first day of spring practice and videotaped the entire workout.
"I knew they really liked him, and Luke is a big Georgia fan, but you don't see a whole lot of kids offered this early," Poag said. "I knew they already had an offensive lineman (Max Wray of Franklin, Tenn.) committed for 2018. It will be an interesting three years."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.