The Georgia pipeline is alive and well for Syracuse, and pass rusher Rakim Peters could be the next player traveling it to the Hill. The 6’4” 230 lb. hybrid pass rusher from Winder, GA tells The Fizz he will be taking an official to SU at some point, and his coach Shane Davis joined Fizz Radio this week.
“He’s got really good size, he moves well. He just understands the game. He’s not a burner. But when you watch him play, he plays awfully fast. He gives us a little bit of everything.”¬†
With the loss of Chandler Jones, the Orange defense will be looking for someone like that on the edge. On the fast track of the Carrier Dome, a pass rusher with speed can build a career destined for the NFL. Look at what Dwight Freeney did in his years at SU. But Freeney is undersized for a DE, while Jones is more closely similar in height to the 6’4″ Peters.
Will Peters take his official to Syracuse before the end of his senior season?
“Probably not. Now with the season ready to start, I just don’t know if he’ll be able to do that now. That’s why he has not committed. He did not want to commit to a place he has not seen. He wanted to be around the coaches. Be on campus.¬†He’s a little bit of a homebody. He’s a humble kid, all this is really, really new to him. It’s been a great experience for him. A shy kid, the last thing he wants is the spotlight to be on him. He’d rather it be on his team. He’s just going to try and handle it the best way he can.”
But Davis admits Peters understands he’s playing a bit of a chess game and doesn’t want to be left in the cold. His top 5 include¬†Syracuse, Clemson, Missouri, Kentucky and Mississippi State. But in the world of college recruiting, you can’t always afford to wait until the last moment.
“A lot of schools are going to offer more scholarships than they have. That’s the only thing that has him a little worried. He has a list of the schools he wants to visit, but he’s afraid he may lose out because of somebody committing early. Right now the plan is to wait to take his five official visits (after the season) and make a decision shortly after that.”¬†
The Orange would be wise to be patient with Peters. He’s an incredible talent at a position of need, and has the team-first make up to boot. If his other favorite schools do over-offer, Peters waiting until after the season ends could end up helping steer him to SU and land yet another piece of the Georgia puzzle.
Posted: D.A.
