In a major recruiting win for Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs, East Lincoln's five-star standout Jaxon Dollar has officially committed to play college football in Athens. The announcement on April 30 caps a whirlwind recruitment process that saw the nation's top programs vying for his talents.

Dollar, ranked as North Carolina's No. 1 recruit and the No. 2 tight end nationally in the Class of 2027, chose Georgia over an elite list of suitors including Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Michigan, LSU, and Notre Dame, among others. According to 247Sports, he's the No. 32 overall player in the country—a testament to his rare combination of size and skill at 6-foot-5, 222 pounds.

His recruitment exploded after a dominant 2025 season where he hauled in 54 catches for 1,190 yards and 20 touchdowns, leading East Lincoln to a 10-2 record and a deep playoff run. Over two varsity seasons, Dollar has amassed 67 receptions for 1,414 yards and 26 scores—numbers that scream future star.

But Dollar isn't just a football phenom. On the basketball court, he averaged a double-double this past winter with 21 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, earning Western Foothills 4A/5A and NCBCA District 10 Player of the Year honors. The Mustangs finished 22-5 and reached the state regional semifinals.

Football runs in the family: Dollar is the youngest of three brothers, joining Cameron (who played at Charlotte from 2018-21) and Sidney (a basketball standout at Lees-McRae) in the collegiate ranks. Now, Jaxon will write his own chapter wearing the red and black of Georgia, where Bulldog fans can already dream of him stretching the field in Sanford Stadium.