Interesting article from AJC:
How Georgia Tech landed Jason Peters
By
Matt Winkeljohn
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/30/07 07:23 AM
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Jason Peters committed to LSU about a week ago, even before making an official visit last weekend to his hometown school, and still ended up pledging to Georgia Tech after a strange — and mysterious — experience.
In a five-day span, the Yellow Jackets have lost one recruit and gained another in unusual fashions. Peters’ commitment to the Tigers was not yet public when something went wrong while the Baton Rouge (La.) defensive end made his cross-town visit.
Monday, he decided to join coach
Chan Gailey and the Yellow Jackets instead.
“I just came off a visit from LSU, and I was confirming my commitment all weekend,” he said. “While there, it kind of bothered me. I wasn’t comfortable with the decision, and I really re-hashed it in my mind, and I kept getting worse and worse and didn’t think it was the best choice for me.
“I contacted my parents and told them what I was thinking, then text-messaged [Tech assistant coach]
Curtis Modkins [who’s recruited Peters], and called Coach Gailey.”
Peters, the 28th-best defensive end in the nation according to Scout.com, and No. 13 strongside end according to Rivals.com, also made official visits to Tech and Nebraska. When Florida learned of his commitment to LSU, the Gators asked him to postpone his visit to Gainesville, “which I completely understood.”
He also considered Notre Dame, but said, “I didn’t have enough time to build a relationship,” with Irish coaches and players.
Once his visit blew up at LSU, and he decided Tech was a better fit anyway.
“I realized that when I went through so many uncertainties with LSU, and I decided to be with the people who have been the most honest with me all along,” he said. “It’s a sore subject. In the interest of protecting the reputations of all parties involved, I’d rather not talk about it more.”
Peters said he may re-visit Tech this weekend unofficially to show his mother around if he can re-arrange some scheduling issues.
“[The status of the program] mattered, but also the people. I looked at it like this; if I’m going to have to wake up every morning and go to work, I have to be able to enjoy it,” he said. “I think Georgia Tech has the best people to help me do that. “
Gailey heard from Peters hours after learning that the other player Tech has been recruiting, “athlete”
Malachi Lewis of Oxnard, Calif., chose Oregon.
The Jackets will re-open recruitment of at least one more player, most likely a defender. Tech severed ties last week with Detroit cornerback/athlete
Cedric Everson in something of a reverse mystery.
