Georgia Tech’s recruiting efforts under second-year coach Brent Key certainly is founded on what Tech football has to offer on the field and what the institute has to offer off the field. The component of name, image and likeness has become a major part of Tech’s recruiting efforts as well – perhaps more than ever.
On3 reported this week that Josh Petty, one of the top offensive line recruits in the country who committed to Tech on Monday, has agreed to terms with Tech on an NIL deal that would pay him at least $800,000 annually once he enrolls at Tech. The report said that Petty and his family worked with marketing agency Power Up Sports to give Petty a figure he and his family were comfortable with.
“NIL was a factor for sure,” Petty said Monday after his commitment ceremony at Fellowship Christian School in Roswell. “I feel like around this time, if you’re an athlete, you should be entitled to your money and you should get that and get what you can out of that. I’ve worked with my agency, they’ve done a huge part in that. They’ve been fighting for me and making sure I do right, and they do right by me.
“Tech’s been very easy. Tech’s been very cooperative and efficient with working on that. I needed that number to be fair. Tech went beyond and above and really have taken care of me.”
A four-star recruit in the 247Sports Composite, Petty is one of Tech’s highest-ranked recruits in the program’s modern area and the top prospect in Tech’s 2025 recruiting class, a group ranked 20th nationally in fourth among ACC programs. Key also has a commitment from two other four-star recruits in the 247Sports Composite – cornerback Dalen Penson of Sandy Creek High School and offensive lineman Justin Hasenhuetl of Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School – among the 22 players who have pledged to be Yellow Jackets in the future.
Petty may not be the last high-profile recruit to want to join the white and gold, either, with four-star defensive lineman Christian Garrett of Prince Avenue Christian in Bogart reportedly leaning toward becoming a Yellow Jacket. Garrett recently backed off a commitment to Georgia.
Of course, Petty, possibly Garrett, or any other future Tech player isn’t eligible to receive any NIL payments until they actually are part of Tech’s program. But Petty’s words Monday seem to indicate he has no plans of wavering from his goal of playing in Bobby Dodd Stadium.
“(Tech) kind of went about things different. I really appreciated that. It was very intentional, very detail-oriented, they made sure I was a priority, got us in and out, made sure we were taken care of, looked after the family – it was really unreal, the hospitality they were showing us,” Petty said. “Coach Key and his vision seemed authentic, and he has followed through with action on his words, and it’s been great to see that. Just bought into being a Yellow Jacket.
“A lot of programs, a lot of coaches make a lot of promises, make a lot of things happen in this recruitment, but the way coach Key has visualized his dream to me ... it’s special and it’s authentic there for sure. I’m glad to see that the action has kind of already started in the plan. We’ve got this plan rolling down and a big piece just moved toward it.”
