Vandy lands big time Georgia standout

Vanderbilt has done very well in the state of Georgia in recent years and that moment continued on Saturday with the commitment of Marietta (Ga.) prospect Elijah Staley.

The 6-foot-7, 205-pound quarterback pledged to Commodores head coach James Franklin while at the school's annual spring football game at Vanderbilt Stadium.

"Yes I am a new commit of the Vanderbilt University! #GoDores," Staley posted on Twitter shortly after the spring game concluded.

A versatile two-sport standout at Wheeler High, Staley chose Vanderbilt over Mississippi State, Boston College and Appalachian State, as well as several high-major basketball offers.

He made a trip to Nashville on Tuesday with his family as well as his teammate and fellow Commodore target Allen Artis. On Friday, he decided it would be good to get to Nashville again to check out the Dores and ultimately made his decision.

As a junior, Staley passed for 1,801 yards and 12 touchdowns while completing 54-percent of his passes. He threw just 4 interceptions and led the Wildcats to a 6-5 record and trip to the state playoffs for the first time since 2006.

He was a standout last summer during Vanderbilt's prospect camp sessions, impressing many with his strong left arm, smooth release and natural athleticism.

Staley recently impressed onlookers during the Elite 11 camp in Atlanta. He was a participant in the RisingSeniors.com Georgia Junior Bowl last December. He was also a standout at the NUC Atlanta camp last May.

On the hardwood, Staley ranks 98th overall in the latest Rivals150 for the 2014 class. He averaged 18 points and 9.5 rebounds for the Wildcats basketball team earlier this season and held offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Cincinnati, Georgetown, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Miami, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, UCF and Virginia Tech.

Staley becomes the seventh commitment for the Commodores, joining fellow Georgia products Bryce Lewis and Dallas Rivers, as well as California quarterback K.J. Carta-Samuels and in-state products Jashon Robertson and Emmanuel Smith. Kentucky defensive end Lloyd Tubman also pledged to the Commodores on Saturday prior to the Black and Gold game.

Check with VandySports.com later this weekend for more details on Staley's decision.