The Uncommitted: No. 8 Andrus Peat looks for the right fit

Andrus Peat has family and friendship ties to Nebraska. But the towering tackle also could get a Stanford education if he so chooses.

Photo by Jim Redman

Editor's note: This is the 14th in a series of 20 leading up to National Signing Day that features Top 100 football recruits who have yet to announce their college plans. We're breaking down their finalists and predicting where each will wind up.

Uncommitted: Andrus Peat
High School: Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.)
Position: LT
Size: 6-foot-6, 310 pounds
Tom Lemming's Top 100: No. 8 (No. 2 Tackle)
Finalists (alphabetical): Florida State, Nebraska, Stanford, USC
More Uncommitted: D.J. Foster, Josh Garnett, Aziz Shittu, Darius Hamilton, Trae Elston, Devin Fuller, Josh Harvey-Clemons, Joel Caleb, Kwon Alexander, Eddie Goldman, Nelson Agholor, Davonte Neal and Zach Banner.

After seeing Andrus Peat running down the court in a recent basketball game, it's clear that the 6-foot-6, 310-pound Peat has plenty of athletic ability to become the dominant force that potential destinations are hoping he will become.

It has also become clear in recent weeks that a lot of football coaches have a thing for hoops.

In recent weeks, USC coach Lane Kiffin, Nebraska coach Bo Pelini and Stanford coach David Shaw all attended a Corona Del Sol basketball game. While they probably were not exactly concerned with the final score, they saw what they needed from Peat.

Now will they hear what they want to hear from Tom Lemming's five-start recruit?

His official visits were at Stanford, Nebraska and most recently USC. Florida State is also in the mix and he considered taking a trip to Tallahassee in recent weeks, but stayed with the state's top-ranked basketball team as it makes a push for the postseason.

Peat has the pedigree scouts love, as his older brother, Todd Jr., is a defensive lineman at Nebraska and his father, Todd Sr., played in the NFL for six years with the Raiders and Cardinals as an offensive lineman after his college career at Northern Illinois. Lemming said Peat's athletic ability belies his size and that it is one the attributes that will make him successful at the next level.

"As nimble footed as they come, he has the potential and ability to become a college All-American and a future all-pro," Lemming wrote. "Shows that quickness, balance, change of direction, and mentality the college scouts look for in an All-American."

The one question about Peat is his tendency to disappear at times. Some thought it was a sign of a bad work ethic while others thought he was bored because of the lack of competition.

The right offensive line coach could change that in a hurry and pull out the potential that is expected of Peat, who according to some had an underwhelming performance at the Under Armour All-American practice week.

Corona first-year coach Tom Joseph, who guided Corona to a 5-5 season after going 1-10 the year before, said during the season that Peat was starting to understand what it took to be consistent every play of every game.

"He is a large kid with an enormous amount of ability," Joseph said during the season. "We have established a better work ethic. He has really taken to the weight training. He has so much potential and I don't think he even realizes how good he can be.

"Once he gets the internal drive to work every minute he will be terrific. He has all of the physical tools. I have never seen anything like it."

The general thinking is that Peat will follow his brother and Corona teammate (football and basketball) Avery Moss, a 6-5, 250-pound defensive end, to Nebraska.

"I'm not going to totally base my decision on that," Peat told the Arizona Republic. "I just want to make sure that I'm comfortable."

Others aren't convinced.

"The Peats are a close-knit family, so the Cornhuskers would seem to be the front-runner," Kyle Odegard of the East Valley Tribune said.

With just a few days before the official signing date, here are the destinations Peat is considering and where we think he'll end up.

Florida State (no chance): The Seminoles were considered all along but reports are he never made the late visit. Not a good sign.

USC (long shot): The Trojans would keep him close to home and a chance to play in Tempe every other year. There doesn't appear to be much evidence that he is heading in this direction.

Nebraska (fair possibility): This is the easy choice for Peat with his brother and teammate possibly joining him in Lincoln. The Cornhuskers have always been a proving ground for offensive linemen and the top ones always make their way to the NFL.

Stanford (book it): Just a hunch that Peat is going to want to go his own way. The Cardinal are going to produce two top NFL draft picks from the O-line this year and the coaching staff should be there for years to come after taking over last season on the way to the Fiesta Bowl. And who wouldn't want a degree from Stanford?

Jason P. Skoda, a former Arizona Republic and current Ahwatukee Foothill News staff writer, is a 15-year sports writing veteran. Contact him at jskoda1024@aol.com or 480-272-2449.