WATCH: E.J. Price UA jersey presentation
ESPN 300 offensive tackle E.J. Price received his Under Armour All-America game jersey presented by American Family Insurance on Friday in front of teammates, coaches, faculty and friends at Archer High School in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
The No. 4-ranked tackle and the 50th player overall in the ESPN 300 said it has always been a dream of his to play in the prestigious All-American game.
“It’s an amazing honor," Price said. "I was actually offered to attend the game as a sophomore and at the time, I had a teammate -- Adonis Thomas, who is now at Alabama [who played in the game] -- so when I was offered, it was an extreme honor to me and a blessing. I’m just honored to be considered one of the top guys in the country and to be able to participate in the game.”
The 6-foot-6, 324-pound prospect had been committed to Georgia, but backed off of that pledge back in June. Despite backing off of his commitment, Georgia is still at the top of his list, but the Bulldogs are not alone.
"I would definitely say that Georgia and Auburn are my leaders for sure,” Price said. “I haven’t made a decision yet, but those two are definitely my leaders. Only because I’ve been able to visit their campuses so many times and build a relationship with both coaching staffs.
Price, who plans to announce his final decision at the Under Armour game, said he has a new-found respect for the Auburn coaching staff after how they handled a recent discipline situation.
“I know Auburn has had a rough stretch, but I’m not one of those fair-weathered recruits who just cares about how a team is doing this season. They had a few really good years before this year, and I know their coaches are great men and they are going to hold you accountable.
"How they handled the Duke Williams situation went a long way with me. He’s one of their best players on their team, but couldn’t get it together off the field so they let him go. So I have a tremendous amount of respect for them.”
Price said he feels similarly about the Georgia coaching staff.
"With Georgia, coach [Mark] Richt is known for holding his players accountable, too. I like their structure and stability. I’ve built a really strong relationship with them.
"There are other schools I’m considering too. I’ve built a good relationship with LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Tennessee. I’ll probably be taking an official visit to LSU or Ole Miss and probably USC and Oklahoma."
Q&A with E.J. Price
What is your first football memory?
Price: I remember my first game. I was like seven years old. I didn’t even play but we got blown out 40-0. I wasn't good enough to even play but I just remember being in tears after we lost so bad. From that point on I made it a point that I was going to get better and I was going to play. I just felt so helpless because we lost and I couldn’t do anything about it.
If you could start a team with any other player in this class who would it be and why?
Price: If it was 2017 I’d say Jamyest Williams no doubt. But in this class, i’d probably have to say Mecole Hardman. His game reminds me of Jamyest a lot and just how versatile he is. He could play on either side of the ball.
If you could play 1-on-1 with any professional athlete in their sport, who would it be and why?
Price: I would go against Serena Williams in tennis. I want to play tennis but I’m not very good at it. It would just be fun and honestly I’d just really want to meet her.
What number do you wear in high school and is there a reason why you wear that number?
Price: I wear No. 77. When I originally got the number I was over at Central Gwinnett and the coach just looked at how big I was and said, ‘you are going to be my left tackle and you will wear No. 77.’ That’s kind of how it was. Now, I especially like the No. 77 because my favorite NFL player is Tyron Smith for the Cowboys and wears that number. I feel like once I reach my peak as a player, he’s the one guy that I feel like I will resemble as far as just how we play.