METRO ATLANTA’S TOP 10 JUNIORS
Chuma Edoga, OL, 6-4, 280, McEachern (undecided)
Mitch Hyatt, OL, 6-5, 270, North Gwinnett (undecided)
Kaleb Kim, OL, 6-5, 280, Mill Creek (undecided)
Lorenzo Nunez, QB, 6-2, 190, Harrison (undecided)
Natrez Patrick, DE, 6-3, 220, Mays (undecided)
Quarte Sapp, LB, 6-2, 190, Milton (undecided)
Duke Shelley, DB, 5-10, 165, Tucker (undecided)
Jayson Stanley, WR, 6-3, 205, Creekside (undecided)
D’Andre Walker, DE, 6-2, 210, Langston Hughes (undecided)
Preston Williams, WR, 6-5, 205, Lovejoy (committed to Tennessee)
The state’s top prospect for the Class of 2015 will get the recruiting drama over early.
Mitch Hyatt, a junior at North Gwinnett High, will announce his college football decision at 7 p.m. Wednesday
The 6-foot-5, 270-pound offensive lineman is expected to pick Clemson over Ohio State because of family connections. His uncle, Dan Benish, played on Clemson’s 1981 national championship team and five seasons in the NFL. Hyatt also lists Georgia, Alabama and Auburn among his leaders.
“I don’t want to give it away, but I’m sure everybody can guess who he is going to go with,” Benish said. “We’re still trying to keep a little bit of surprise in it.”
Hyatt has been on the recruiting radar since North Gwinnett upset Grayson in the 2012 state playoffs. Hyatt got to line up against Grayson High defensive end Robert Nkemdiche, who was the nation’s consensus No. 1 prospect for 2013 (and signed with Ole Miss).
While urban legend would have you believe that Hyatt dominated Nkemdiche in that game, the truth is Hyatt held his ground in the limited plays that they went against each other. Nevertheless, the fascination from college scouts with Hyatt kicked off after that showdown.
This past season, Hyatt turned in a pair of respectable blocking performances against Norcross High defensive end Lorenzo Carter, the state’s top prospect this year. Carter will announce between Georgia, Florida, FSU and LSU at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
“Grayson moved Nkemdiche around to a lot of spots in that game, but if Mitch doesn’t play well, maybe we don’t win that game,” North Gwinnett coach Bob Sphire said. “Lorenzo moved around a lot, too. He wasn’t just lined up against Mitch the whole time.
“Mitch did well. I couldn’t throw a grade number at you for how he did against those guys. All I know is that Mitch played every week at a really high level. He’s really never had a bad game for us.”
Hyatt always dreamed of playing defensive end, too. However, Hyatt jumped at the opportunity to play left tackle when there was an opening at the start of his sophomore season. Sphire had observed Hyatt since he was in middle school.
“You never know, but he may be a guy who can earn money on Sundays,” Sphire said. “I really felt like he might be that prototypical left tackle,” Sphire said. “But you know the thing about him, he will have the chance down the road in any (college) system. He could probably play any of those five spots.
“Everybody wants to look at that next left tackle because that’s where the most money goes, but you sign that second contract in the NFL and you’re over that hump, whether it’s right tackle or center or guard. I just think he has a chance to play at a really high level.”
Benish played defensive tackle in the NFL, including four seasons with the Falcons. Benish is an Ohio native who has taken his nephew to Clemson games since Hyatt was a toddler.
“Everybody says that (Mitch has Clemson connections), and they’ve been predicting 100-percent Clemson,” Benish said. “That may be true. You know, I would be the proudest guy in the world if he went to Clemson. I love the place. I am a Clemson guy all the way. But I told him I would kick his butt if he went to Clemson because of me.
“If that’s where he feels comfortable, I’d love for him to go there. But if not, I want him to go where he’s happy. I would hate to put a Gamecock jersey, but I would do it if he went there. Same thing with Georgia.”
Hyatt attended Clemson’s Junior Day last weekend and spent an hour alone with Tigers coach Dabo Swinney. Because of the timing of Hyatt’s announcement coming off the visit, it created speculation that he will pick Clemson.
“I’ve grown up around Clemson, and I know all about them,” Hyatt said. “I have good relationships there, and (Clemson is) definitely up there.”
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