High honors for 2 Tech commits

To a recruiting class that offers considerable potential, Georgia Tech commits A.J. Gray and Brant Mitchell have provided a little more sizzle.

Gray, a safety from Washington County High in Sandersville, and Mitchell, a linebacker from Webb High in Knoxville, Tenn., have been named their respective states’ Gatorade players of the year.

The honor has not often gone to Tech commits. Gray and Mitchell would be Tech’s first players to be Gatorade players of the year since safety Jamal Golden, who was the Alabama Gatorade winner in 2011 as a quarterback at Wetumpka High. Tech has not had the Georgia Gatorade winner since Jeremy Muyres won it as a senior at Parkview High in 1999.

Tech's 22-member class stands to potentially be one of the best in recent history. If you put stock in recruiting rankings, the Yellow Jackets' class is ranked No. 26 by Rivals, No. 41 by Scout and No. 35 by 24/7.

It could be Tech’s highest-ranked class since at least 2010 or beyond.

Gray’s Washington County team will play for the Class AAA state title Friday at the Georgia Dome. Washington County, the alma mater of former Tech linebacker Brandon Watts, lost in the state final last  year.

Mitchell was named his classification’s state player of the year for the second year in a row. West High won its state championship, its first ever, last Friday.