Another rising senior hopped in Georgia Tech’s stream of commitments Monday, this one a quarterback from California.
Chayden Peery, a 3-star prospect from Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, Calif., near Los Angeles, announced his commitment to Tech, becoming the 11th for the 2021 signing class and the eighth since April 28. He is rated the No. 23 pro-style quarterback in the class (247Sports Composite).
Peery selected Tech over scholarship offers from Vanderbilt, Louisville, N.C. State, Maryland and others. Peery announced his offer from Tech on Feb. 3 following a visit from a Yellow Jackets assistant coach. Peery made his commitment despite not having made a visit to the campus, as has become common during this recruiting cycle, when in-person recruiting has not been permitted since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic. (After Peery’s commitment, only four of the top 25 pro-style quarterbacks remained uncommitted, according to the 247Sports website.)
Sierra Canyon coach Jon Ellinghouse said that, despite not being able to visit Tech, Peery bought into the vision sold by Tech coaches through video-conference calls. It helped also that Peery’s father’s employer is based in Atlanta, Ellinghouse said.
“I think they did a really good job of developing relationships,” Ellinghouse said of Tech coaches. “At this time of uncertainty, where kids aren’t able to go and do visits like normal, I think the relationships with the coaches are huge.”
Peery is the first prospect from west of the Mississippi River to commit to Tech’s class. Coach Geoff Collins’ 2020 class had one signee from west of the Mississippi, offensive lineman Paula Vaipulu (Channelview, Texas).
Peery, listed at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, has an impressive resume. Peery has been a starter since his freshman season and has led Sierra Canyon to back-to-back CIF Southern Section championships. (The CIF Southern Section encompasses most of southern California and is by far the largest section in the state.) As a junior, he completed 236 of 393 passes (60%) for 3,401 yards and an 18/1 touchdown/interception ratio.
While Ellinghouse said that Peery has good measurables, “he’s as smart as you can possibly be when it comes to knowing the game of football and making decisions. He’s really blossomed in our offense and executes it well. I know he’s excited about the Georgia Tech offense and the transition from ours to theirs. It fits him.”
Ellinghouse said that Tech’s academic credentials were of importance to Peevy, who also received offers from multiple Ivy League schools.
“The chance to be able to play at the highest level and also go to a school that’s got exceptional academics, I think that helps with the process,” Ellinghouse said.
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