Alpharetta OT Elias Cloy: "GT was always the team to beat"

Georgia Tech was always one of the top options for Alpharetta (Ga.) OL Elias Cloy.

While new offers had come recently from Indiana, Maryland, and others, Cloy made the decision to commit to Georgia Tech on Sunday following his official visit.

Cloy becomes the second offensive lineman to join the 2023 class, joining Lassiter OT Ethan Mackenny who committed last weekend.

"The visit was unbelievable," said Cloy as he was leaving campus. "Coach Collins is a great guy, and I was able to spend a lot of time with Coach Brent Key and Coach Chip Long as well. It was an amazing time. It is just a family environment. I already knew a couple of the players here, and the coaches and I know each other as well. It is close to home too, being like 30 minutes away for us."

The food was the favorite part of the trip for Cloy and his family.

"The steakhouse we went to on Saturday night," said Cloy with a laugh as he described his favorite part of the trip. The food was great, I almost passed out right after we finished eating, it was that good."

Heading into the visit, while committing may not have been the plan, Georgia Tech had long been the team weighing most heavily on his mind.

"I hadn't picked out my top schools, but Georgia Tech was always the team to beat," he said. "Coach Key was so excited, he brought so much energy today. He brought me into his family and we loved that. Coach Collins was cool about it too, we talked in his office. 'What did you say?" was his first reaction, and then I told him again that I was committed and he was fired up."

Cloy will be back on the Georgia Tech campus tomorrow, and plans to workout with Coach Brent Key while also spending time with his teammates that will be with him.

Kelly Quinlan contributed to this interview.