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Coach Speak: Athens Academy (Ga.) coach Alexander talks Standifer's GT pledge

1000006382 (2)by: Alex Farrer10/02/25AFarrersports
Georgia Elite Classic/Keyon Standifer
Photo by Jeremy Johnson.

Georgia Tech picked up its second commitment of the 2027 recruiting class this past Sunday as standout athlete Keyon Standifer went public with his pledge to the Jackets over several other offers and interest from multiple programs.

Recently, JOL caught up with Standifer’s head coach at Athens Academy (Ga.), Joshua Alexander, to discuss his standout wide receiver/defensive back/kick returner’s commitment, what kind of player Georgia Tech fans should expect, how his skills translate to the college level and more.

Here’s what he had to say:

JOLHow excited are you for Keyon to make his commitment to Georgia Tech and see his hard work and talent translate into an opportunity like this?

ALEXANDER: “(Keyon) is one of the best kids I’ve coached, and he’s very smart. He’s just fun to coach. His football IQ is really high…a great kid, a great teammate, and just really, really talented. He does things on both sides of the ball, really all three phases. He’s returned kicks, he’s blocked kicks, he plays corner for us, plays a little bit of safety. We’ve lined him up at tailback and wide receiver, and he just does whatever we ask him to do and he does it really well.

“With recruiting, he’s had a lot of interest from all levels of people. All over the board his recruiting’s been, and so we knew he was going to end up at a really good school like this. It’s just the kind of person he is. And he’s excited about Georgia Tech. We are too. I think it’s a great fit for him, and he’s going to do really well there.”

JOLWhat do you think about how Tech recruited Keyon or what makes Tech the right fit for him?

ALEXANDER: “Yeah, he’s a kid that goes to a school like ours, which is a lot like a Georgia Tech school…high-academic place. Keyon will do well there. They did a great job of recruiting him, and he’s just excited to go there and stay close to mama, play at the next level and play at that level. I think he’s really got a bright future.”

JOLWhat should Georgia Tech fans expect from Keyon as a player and a person for those that might not have seen him play or know about him yet?

ALEXANDER: “He’s as good a football player as I’ve ever been around. We’ve coached some good ones, guys that have played 9, 10 years in the NFL. People look at him and they say he’s 5-9, 170 or 175 pounds, maybe small, but he is electric. When he gets the ball in his hands…he reminds me of a kid we coached over at Parkview High School that just could set people up on the field and just make things happen that like you don’t coach it. I think Georgia Tech (fans) are going to be really happy with what they get and what they get to watch on Saturdays.”

JOLWhat do you feel about Keyon’s skillset and mindset translates well to the college level and do you see him being an impact player early on at Georgia Tech next year?

ALEXANDER: “I do. He’s going to walk in the building, and it’s going to take about 10 minutes into first practice, and they’re going to go ‘Oh okay, we’ve got a good one.’ And it doesn’t matter who lines up on him, what size they are. We’ve seen him do it to every level and every size. I haven’t seen anybody cover him yet, and we’re always waiting for someone to do that. It’s like come on, give him a challenge. But he’s the best wide receiver I’ve been around.”

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