PORT ORANGE – Derry Norris momentarily pulled fast in front of a room packed with family, friends, teammates and coaches.
The 6-foot-2, 270-pound rising senior defensive lineman from Spruce Creek took a Miami hat from his father, put it on his head — and tossed it aside. So Norris ducked under the table and chose a different ACC program.
Norris verbally committed to Georgia Tech on Friday night, choosing the Yellow Jackets over not only Miami but also the Big 10 duo of Minnesota and Purdue. He made official visits to all four schools during the month of June, but Georgia Tech set a precedent that no other program could set.
Matanzas pays homage to the fallen hero: Run, get up and cook for the red, white and blue
“There has always been love for Miami, but I feel like Georgia Tech is the best decision for me,” said Norris, who plans to study engineering while playing for the Yellow Jackets.
“I just wanted to go somewhere to be myself. After going through all these visits, I saw different things and compared the different schools. I feel like Georgia Tech hit all the right points without me asking anything.”
Norris earned Volusia-Flagler’s All-Area Defensive Player of the Year nod as a junior after recording 13 tackles for loss, 9½ sacks and 20 quarterback pressures. Claiming more than three dozen Division I offers, Norris is the No. 74 player overall in the USA TODAY Florida Network Top 100 for the class of 2025.
Hawks coach Andy Price expects Norris to gain strength in college and play defense.
“He’s very explosive and very quick. He ran a 4.6 (second 40-yard dash) laser a couple of times last year,” Price said. “I think he uses his hands well and hits people. He’s good against the run and he’s a great pass rusher. Obviously the next level is a little more specialized, but I think early on he can help as both a run stuffer and a as a pass rusher.”
Spruce Creek’s roster now features three seniors committed to the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision: Norris, wide receiver Tony Kinsler (Pittsburgh) and defensive back Kamron Chamble (Kennesaw State). The Hawks went 7-4 last season, qualifying for the FHSAA Region 3-4S playoffs.
Kinsler expects possible showdowns against Norris after one last race together. Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech are expected to play three times between 2025-28, according to the The future ACC football calendar model.
“I’ve been playing with him since I was 10U (10 years old or younger),” Kinsler said. “It will be a kind of reunion moment.
“They will definitely buy a dog.”
Georgia Tech currently enjoys a top-20 national class, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. Norris becomes the Yellow Jackets’ 20th verbal commitment and fourth defensive lineman – joining Peach State edge rushers Andre Fuller (Loganville, Ga.) and Carrington Coombs (Dacula, Ga.), and defensive tackle Kamron Cullins (Kennesaw, Ga.) Georgia).
The Yellow Jackets, who capped off a 7-6 campaign last December with a 30-17 victory over UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl, open the 2024 season with a trip to Ireland will face conference rival Florida State.
“Their recruiting class is definitely going to explode with me coming in and helping them recruit,” Norris said. “It’s building up. By the time I get there, we should be digging deep and doing a lot.”
This article originally appeared in The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Football Recruiting: Derry Norris Chooses Georgia Tech Over Miami, Minnesota
