Pendley becomes the latest Ga. native to return home to play for Collins

It has been quite the week for the future of Georgia Tech football. After adding a four-star Rivals250 linebacker in Mount Zion's Trenilyas Tatum on Wednesday evening, former Mississippi State OL Nick Pendley has announced his intentions on Friday night.

The former Creekview offensive lineman was a member of Joe Moorhead's recruiting class in the 2019 class, choosing Mississippi State over other offers from schools like USC, Missouri, Indiana, and several others.

From the moment Pendley entered the transfer portal on October 27th, the Yellow Jackets have been on his mind.

After taking his recruitment into his own hands as the NCAA's COVID-19 dead period continues for a visit, Pendley fell in love with everything Georgia Tech had to offer, both on the field and off.

"It was awesome! It is absolutely gorgeous there," said Pendley in an exclusive interview with JOL following the visit earlier this month. "The vibe was amazing. Our favorite part of everything was really just how beautiful the campus is. It is like (campus) is a hidden city right there in the middle of Atlanta. The housing options are awesome too. They are within walking distance which is great."

While the dead period has made things truly challenging for transfers and recruits alike, Pendley and his family saw as much as they could before heading home on Sunday.

"We just rode all over campus. We didn't get to go to many places, but i feel like we still saw a lot. I am a business major, so the chance to be in Atlanta where there are so many Fortune 500 companies are is very nice. My family would LOVE for me to be this close to home. There are a lot of pros to Georgia Tech."

Pendley will enroll at Georgia Tech in January, and with the NCAA's pending vote on the one-time transfer rule, could be eligible to play as soon as next season.

"This is my hometown team!" Pendley exclaimed on Friday afternoon shortly before announcing his decision.

"I believe in the coaches and in the program. I know that they are committed to making Georgia Tech football the best it can be."