SNELLVILLE, Ga – Georgia-based center Peyton Marshall is all of 7 feet and 310 pounds, but the bear of a man has the footwork and agility of a much smaller prospect. He still needs to reshape his body, sure, but his potential was on full display recently at Holiday Hoopsgiving just outside Atlanta. There, Marshall posted a 22-point, 11-rebound performance that carried his Kell High School squad to a victory.
Following the win, Marshall spoke to Rivals about where his recruitment stands and which schools are most heavily in the mix.
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ON HIS VISIT TO PENN STATE:
“It was a lot of fun. My mom, uncle and my AAU coach all went with me there. It was a stripe-out game. They played Ohio State. It was a nice school. I liked it. They showed me the campus and the facilities and all of that. Honestly, it was an eye-opener because I never thought Penn State would be like that as far as basketball. When I got up there and got to see it for myself it was really nice.”
ON AUBURN:
“I visited there already, too. It’s a really cool relationship. They let me know that they want me, but they don't like over-recruiting me. They don’t do it every day. It’s good because we built a relationship early.”
ON AUBURN’S APPROACH:
“It’s good because they got on me early and started that relationship. I like it because, with other schools, they come in late and it’s like, 'Oh you’re just calling me now because I got better down the line.' So for Auburn and the colleges that are showing interest now while I'm still developing is something that really stands out to me.”
ON MISSOURI:
“My family is originally from St. Louis so it’s cool having that. It’s only an hour and half away. My family came up and met us down there. It was my birthday weekend, actually. They bought tickets to the game and went with me. Then we all went out to eat. The coaches brought me a cake and had the team sing happy birthday. I thought that was cool. I thought that was funny.”
ON VISITS HE’D LIKE TO TAKE:
“Growing up, I was an LSU fan, so I want to get out there. They offered. I’d like to just see it because I’ve never seen it before. I actually saw one of the coaches here while I was playing. I kinda, like, winked at him during the game.”
ON HOW OFTEN HE SPEAKS WITH LSU:
“They send me this thing called ‘Monday Motivation’. It's a text and we keep in touch that way.”
ON A TIMETABLE FOR A COMMITMENT:
“I don’t have a set time or anything. It could be next week or next year. I really don’t know.”
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RIVALS' REACTION
The 7-foot Marshall is one of the more intriguing prospects in the 2024 class. He has a truck load of skill and impressive athleticism for his massive size. His ceiling hinges largely on how much he can slim down and become a more versatile and fluid defensive presence. If things on that front go well in the next calendar year, his stock could soar.
Auburn feels like the major player as things stand, but it seems as though Penn State made an impression on his recent trip to State College. Georgia Tech is also involved. There may be additional offers in store down the road as well, so it’s hard to be too confident about where Marshall may ultimately land.
