One of state’s leading receivers, Keyon Standifer brings energy to the field

ATHENS — Keyon Standifer had already called Georgia Tech home by the time the rest of the country came calling.

Athens Academy’s star receiver became the second commitment of Georgia Tech’s 2027 class about a month before schools like Auburn, Nebraska and Oklahoma reached out with offers.

The 3-star prospect saw a sharp influx in Power 4 offers after leading the Spartans to a comeback region championship win on Oct. 24. The junior scored five total touchdowns in the 49-46 win over Rabun County, leading the Spartans back from a 43-29 deficit halfway through the third quarter, which earned him AJC Varsity/GHSF Daily Player of the Week honors.

For all of the plays he made in the passing game, Standifer’s biggest moment came on special teams. Rabun County had just taken the 43-29 lead and was kicking off to Athens Academy.

Standifer, standing back at the goal line as a kick returner, had a decision to make. He was feeling discouraged as the region title was slipping from Athens Academy’s grasp.

“I’m not going to lie, I was giving up,” Standifer said. “But they kicked the ball to me. I don’t know why.

“At that type of time, they never should have kicked it. I had a lot of stuff I had to get off my mind.”

Standifer immediately revived his own spirits and Athens Academy’s hopes, returning the kickoff for a 98-yard touchdown. The junior scored his other four touchdowns against Rabun County on six receptions for 218 yards.

Standifer finished the regular season with 1,250 receiving yards, good for second-most in the state across all classifications. The Spartans will lean on him again when they start their 2025 playoff run against the winner of Friday night’s first-round game between Holy Innocents’ and Mount Paran Christian.

“He’s a generational player, and that’s a big stamp,” Athens Academy coach Josh Alexander said. “He’s as good as I’ve ever coached, and there’s no other way to say it.”

Standifer’s five-touchdown game was nothing new around Athens Academy. Alexander has been watching Standifer take over football games for years.

“When he was an eighth grader, he scored five touchdowns in a game, and we were like, ‘OK, this is interesting,’ and then the next week, he went and scored six touchdowns as an eighth grader,” Alexander recalled. “He did it in eighth grade, he’s done it in ninth grade, he’s done it in 10th grade. Now, he’s doing it in 11th grade, and he’s scoring six touchdowns, five touchdowns.”

The speedy junior, at 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds according to his X profile, is dangerous in the open field. Some of Standifer’s biggest plays this season have come off screen passes where he made several defenders miss in space.

That’s exactly what Standifer wants Georgia Tech fans to know about his play style. While Standifer isn’t known for his size, he’s fully capable to change a game with his explosiveness.

“Don’t underestimate me, put the ball in my hands and just let me go do what I’ve got to do to go score,” Standifer said. “I bring a lot of energy when I’m on the field. Off the field, you won’t get it, but on the field, you’ll get a lot of energy.”

Energy was one of the main factors that drew Standifer to Georgia Tech. The enthusiasm of wide receivers coach Trent McKnight and coach Brent Key grabbed Standifer’s attention early in the recruiting process.

“(McKnight) brings a lot of energy to the team,” Standifer said. “Coach Key, he brings a lot of energy to the team when he’s walking out of the tunnel with his shades on and his hat.”