It’s official: Stevenson to play football at Georgia Tech

With the stroke of a pen, Troy Stevenson became the first Philip Simmons High School football player to sign a scholarship with a major college program. Stevenson inked his National Letter of Intent to attend Georgia Tech on Dec. 20 in front of scores of well-wishers in the school’s auditorium. It was the first day of the NCAA’s early signing period.

 

“I’m very excited that this day is finally here,” Stevenson said. “It’s the end of a journey, the end of a process.”

 

Stevenson, a 6-1, 170-pound cornerback, signed during a ceremony at the school to cap a memorable year. The school’s athletic director, Dan Minkin, told students gathered in the auditorium that Stevenson was in an elite fraternity, citing that a million student-athletes play high school football in the United States, and only 2.6 percent of the prep gridders go on to play Division I football.

 

Stevenson began the 2023 season as one of the top five recruits in the Palmetto state, checking in as high as the No. 3 prospect in some rankings of the top recruits in the state.

 

He lived up to the hype with an impressive season on both sides of the ball. He tallied 557 all-purpose yards and scored nine touchdowns on offense. He logged 32 tackles on defense and recorded two interceptions as opponents didn’t challenge his pass coverage skills too often. While he will play defense in college, he ended his career as the Iron Horses all-time receiver with 1,020 yards and 17 touchdowns in his career.

 

“Troy has worked extremely hard on and off the field,” coach Eric Bendig said. “His opportunities have come because of his work on the field, in the weight room and in the classroom. Troy will play for an emerging ACC power and it is just a very short distance away in Atlanta, Georgia. So, we look forward to that.”

 

Stevenson, who played in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, was recruited by about 30 schools and committed to Georgia Tech early in the process. He never wavered from his word.

 

He’s also played basketball for the Iron Horses and was all-state in track and field last spring when he won a bronze medal in the high jump.

 

“I’m thinking of doing track in the spring,” Stevenson said. “I want to get faster, bigger and stronger before I get there. When I get there, I need to be ready.”

 

Stevenson was one of three four-star recruits who were expected to sign with the Yellow Jackets on Dec. 20. The other four-stars were tight end Luke Harpring and wide receiver Isiah Canion, both from Georgia.

 

 “I’ve had great experiences on recruiting trips to Georgia Tech from the first time I visited,” Stevenson said. “I got to know the people, the players and the coaching staff. Every visit went great.”

 

The signing capped a recruiting period in which Stevenson was offered scholarships by major players in major conferences, including Georgia, Notre Dame, LSU, Washington, Penn State, the University of Miami, West Virginia and Nebraska.