Recruiting interest still building on 26-offer four-star Georgia LB/ATH Brayden Rouse

SEC and ACC teams making strong early push for 2026 LB/ATH Brayden Rouse.

Georgia 2026 LB Brayden Rouse at Tennessee. / Rouse family.

Taking on 4A Georgia competition, Brayden Rouse was a statistician’s worst nightmare. Play after play, Rouse (6-3, 210) was making something happen for Kell High School (Marietta) at linebacker or at receiver. The two-way play has brought four-star status to the Class of 2026 talent with 26 offers on the table.

When the Longhorns were driving the field, Rouse collected 26 passes for 382 yards with a team-high eight trips into the end zone. Going the other way, No. 8 was credited with ending 111 plays, 15 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, a QB hurry, a pick, one fumble recovery, and six passes defended.

“I like playing both receiver and linebacker,” Rouse said. "I see myself playing linebacker at the next level because of my frame and my athleticism. I have played offense my whole life. Playing both keeps me in the loop. Playing linebacker keeps me working hard and will get me where I want go.”

The growing talents on defense were explained, “I feel like my frame helps me. It helps me covering. Because of my long arms, I can get PBUs (pass breakups) and I can get interceptions. I feel that my speed in the box is helpful getting downfield. My speed helps recovering for other players on missed tackles. I am flying around the field, that is how I make my plays. They would run away from me, but I would track them down with my speed.”

Want to see Rouse at his best, there are two games he suggests watching.

“I think my best performance would be, I’d say maybe Westminster or Hiram,” Rouse shared. “In the Westminster game, that was a breakout game for me on defense. I had 18 tackles. I was flying around. We lost, but I had our only two touchdowns, and I only played 10 plays on offense.

“That game on offense helped with my confidence. Before that I was more of a blocking tight end with some splits. But after that, I was probably our WR 2, and when Jaden George went out, I was WR 1.”

With the focus at the collegiate level being linebacker, the offseason grind will be preparing to punish Georgia offenses again next season.

“My two biggest things are getting bigger and stronger,” Rouse stated. “Technique wise, I will work on my point of contact, shedding blocks, and taking on pulling guards. Linebacker is a new position for me, it took a while getting used to it and working on the point of attack.

“I will work on my short speed. I have a long stride; going sideline to sideline, I have to chop it down so I can react faster and be more twitchy in the box.”

Maryland, Kansas, Ole Miss, Vandy, and Missouri were the most recent to help Rouse get to 26. That list is set to expand in a hurry.

“Clemson is showing interest and Ohio State has been on me,” Rouse said. “Coming into the dead period it has been quiet. Alabama is showing some interest, West Virginia, and some from Georgia. USC, I think that offer is coming soon. They are coming to my school this spring; Oregon is too. UCLA and Utah, they are coming to watch me play basketball. Tennessee is coming as well. Hopefully they are all coming.”

Teams were successful showing Rouse a good time on Saturdays this fall.

“I went to quite a few schools,” Rouse shared. “I have been to Bama, that was in the first week, Tennessee twice, Clemson twice, Vandy, and I went to UVA on our bye week to watch them practice; they were also on their bye week then. I also went to Ohio State, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, and South Carolina.”

The Gamecocks welcomed the four-star to campus in mid-November.

“It was amazing honestly,” Rouse said. “It shocked me. They offered me this spring, but I wasn’t getting a lot of attention from them. Then the last couple of games of the season, they started going at me hard. I was asked to come up for Missouri game; that went down to the end.

“South Carolina and Tennessee had the best in-game environments I have been to passing Bama and Ohio State. They treated me amazingly. South Carolina was up there for sure.”

The second time was more the charm in Knoxville for Rouse.

“During the first visit, they kind of did the same thing,” Rouse stated. “After first game, they offered me, but I was not on their chart; I wasn’t a big prospect for them. But as the season progressed, I have never seen a school switch from zero to 100 like that.

“They asked me to come up for second visit – they try to make everyone feel special, but on that second time, I felt like one of the guys. I sat down with the coaches and talked to the players. Their fans are amazing. They have a great environment. The first visit was good but the second.

Rouse continued, “South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, and UVA have been the most serious of the schools that have offered me.”

The next round of trips will be set soon.

“It is up for grabs right now,” Rouse said. “I am not sure how things will come this spring. Some offers will come in later; we’ll see how seriously interested they are in me. Some of the already offering programs, I will go visit them, but I am not sure where I will go right now.”

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