Peyton Barber: Georgia Tech offers Atlanta RB

RB Peyton Barber is still popular with college scouts despite playing only four games last season

Even though RB Peyton Barber missed most of last season, the colleges haven’t missed out on him.

Georgia Tech was the latest offer for the 5-foot-11, 220-pound tailback from Milton High School. Barber said he got the news over the phone on Thursday, and will go meet with Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson on Friday.

“I feel really excited and blessed about Georgia Tech,” Barber said. “I was hurt for most of the season. I only played in four games. I really didn’t think I’d get more offers after Clemson. Then they started rolling in. I feel blessed and excited.”

Barber, who sports a 2.9 GPA and wants to major in Business Management or Liberal Arts, also has early offers from Clemson, North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Central Florida, Kentucky and Louisville.

Had Barber not suffered a severe high ankle sprain in a preseason scrimmage last summer, he would likely be one of the state’s top-ranked running backs.

“He’s a slasher type of runner,” Milton coach Howie DeCristofaro said. “He can run through you or around you. His first 20 yards are pretty good for a guy around 220 pounds.

“Now he’s back 100-percent healthy. He’s a big and strong back. He ran the 100 meters in 11.4 seconds last week.”

Barber also won a state championship in the 225-pound class of the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association State Weightlifting Meet. Barber had a bench of 335, power clean of 310 and a squat of 525.

What does Barber think of Georgia Tech? “I like the way they run the triple option. I like the campus, and I like how the coaches are direct and honest with you.”

Barber says he does not have a leader and will visit Vanderbilt on March 25 and Clemson next month.

You can watch Barber’s highlight film by clicking here

Note: Milton may have the state’s top RB duo next year. Trayvon Paulk (5-11, 190) ran for 1,110 yards this past season as a sophomore and has an early offer from Kentucky.

GUESS WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

• Lane Kiffin on Nick Saban’s recruiting GREATNESS
• Who will be Georgia Tech’s first commitment for 2013?
• Top RB missed last season but scouts haven’t missed him
  
• UGA recruit BANNED from playoffs
  
• Robert Nkemdiche: Ole Miss offers BEST FRIEND of nation’s No. 1 prospect
• UGA offers one of state’s top players
• UGA is frontrunner for OL transfer Max Garcia, who will also visit Florida, Clemson and Ole Miss
• Vanderbilt’s “helicopter recruiting” in Atlanta was a success
  
• South Carolina’s No. 1 prospect commits to UGA … AGAIN
  
• BIG NEWS for UGA with Robert Nkemdiche, nation’s No. 1 overall prospect
• “Prime Time” II? Deion Sanders Jr. headed to Georgia to play football
• UGA and Alabama are co-leaders for top DB but …

IT’S NEVER BORING IN THE WACKY WORLD OF RECRUITING

• Steve Spurrier on recruiting success: We’re 8-0 vs. UGA, Florida, Tennessee and Clemson
• Lane Kiffin gets a good laugh about Tennessee’s blame game
• Nick Saban mails 105 letters in ONE DAY to Atlanta RB
• “The story that won’t go away” … Alabama’s grayshirt scandal
• Derek Dooley rips anything & everything to do with SEC’s new over-signing rules
• Meet the Bulldogs (UGA’s 2012 class)
• Meet the Yellow Jackets (Georgia Tech’s 2012 class)

– By Michael Carvell, AJC Recruiting Blog

Got an item? mcarvell@ajc.com

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