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It’s official!
East Northport native Preston “PJ” Carey will play college football at Georgia.
The 6-foot-6, 295-pound defensive lineman made the highly anticipated announcement Monday night in front of a packed house at Oheka Castle in Huntington.
“It takes a lot of hard work, drive and ambition,” Carey told Greater Long Island. “I’ve wanted this since I was little, and this is just part of the puzzle. There’s still a lot of work to do.”
Carey, a four-star recruit, first burst onto the national scene in the summer of 2022, before his freshman year at St. Anthony’s. Penn State, LSU, Michigan, and Temple were among the schools that reached out when he was just 15 years old.
After two seasons with the Friars, Carey transferred to IMG Academy in Florida for his junior year — a move he made to better prepare for his future. (More than 20 IMG graduates have played in the NFL, including New York Giants lineman Evan Neal and Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy.)
Carey’s highlights
That work paid off. Carey earned scholarship offers from top programs including Notre Dame, Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, and Colorado. His final four schools were Florida, Auburn, Rutgers, and Georgia — but it was Georgia that made the biggest impression.
“The proof is pretty much in the pudding why I went there,” said Carey after his commitment. “They’ve developed the most first-round picks along the defensive line over the last five years. I kind of knew it all along; I was just reassured during the process that this was the place for me.”
For now, Carey is focused on his senior season at IMG. In December, he’ll be eligible to sign his national letter of intent. His father told Greater Long Island that Preston plans to enroll in college this January to get a head start on his freshman season in fall 2026.
And yes — Carey says the NFL is the ultimate goal.
“There’s an unimaginable amount of work to do,” he said. “But yes, that is the goal.”
Prior reporting
Top: Preston “PJ” Carey picks Georgia. (Credit: Andrew Rappaport)
