St. Frances OL P.J. Wilkins opens up about decision to commit to GT
Georgia Tech added their sixth verbal commitment on the offensive line late on Saturday afternoon.
Paris "PJ" Wilkins, a Georgia native who is finishing his HS career at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, chose the Yellow Jackets over other offers from Boston College, USF, and a recent offer from Charlotte.
Wilkins becomes commitment No. 16 overall, in a class approaching Top 50 status.
"For me, it was all abochance ut opportunity," said Wilkins in an interview with JOL. "Both on the field and off of the field, this is the perfect fit for me. The love shown by both the coaching staff and the players make it feel like home. I'm right back in my hometown, too. Being in Atlanta, I feel like I will have a great chance at a large amount of exposure, and the chance to help build the new culture."
Wilkins is listed as an offensive tackle by Rivals, but given his body type he appears destined to play on the inside. Regardless of where he lines up, Wilkins is willing to be a team-first player from the moment he steps foot on campus. He's grown a lot since moving to Maryland and plans to bring that with him to GT.
"I'm versatile enough to be able to play on the interior or on the outside, but I will do whatever will help the team the most. I've grown as a player this season at St. Frances largely due to the level of competition I have been going up against everyday in practice. Matching up with probably the best DL in the country everyday helped me get better. My knowledge of the game and my technique are two of the things that I know have improved the most."
With family ties to both Dominique and Gerald Wilkins, the Wilkins family is excited about having PJ close to home.
"They are very excited," he said. "Not only with the history with my family name and the city, but it was kind of a relief for them since they wouldn’t be so far away from me at the next level."
In terms of relationships in Atlanta and the coaching staff, the two names Wilkins has grown the closest with won't surprise mean.
"I have very good relationships with Coach (Brent) Key and Coach (Kenyatta) Watson. Both of those guys are amazing. From the first day i met Key, he was intrigued with everything about me. It just felt right committing to them. Coach Kenyatta checks up on me daily and makes sure I am good. He just keeps the relationship strong and growing.
Wilkins is unsure at this moment if he will take any further visits.