By any statistical measure, the interception was insignificant.

Late in the fourth quarter of a home opener against Holy Cross, the Harvard football team held a 41-18 lead.Only two and a half minutes separated the hosts from a 1-0 record.

But when Crimson defensive back Scott Peters dove to pick off an errant throw from Crusaders quarterback Peter Pujals, the turnovermeant something that numbers could not convey.

For Peters, the pick was an affirmation. After not starting for his Georgia high school until senior year, not getting any recruiting offers, and not seeing any playing time his freshman year, Peters could finally celebrate in a college game with the ball in his hands.

“It was awesome,” Peters said. “[As] my teammates will tell you, I don’t have the best hands on the team…. I kind of surprised myself.”

However, it is misleading to describe Peters’ ascent from walk-on to starter as a fairy tale.

On the contrary, Peters stands out as someone who has succeeded at a variety of times and in a multitude of contests.

From all-state cellist to accomplished hurdler to defensive stalwart, Scott Peters frustrates the underdog label.

“He’s just one of those kids that’s driven in a positive way in everything he does,” Harvard coach Tim Murphy said. “On the football field, he’s one of the toughest, most focused, and best football players we have.”

Most Crimson football players send game film before receiving an acceptance letter. For Peters, the opposite was true. 

For his first three years at the Westminster Schools in Atlanta, Ga., Peters played behind a talented corps of defensive backs. His first start came as a senior in 2011, when the team named him co-captain. Despite leading Westminster with 74 tackles and earning regional honors, Peters did not compile a highlight tape until January.

“I applied to colleges without thinking of [sports] on the table,” Peters said. “I was able to choose this place without football.”

One factor that did influence Peters’ choice of college was the possibility of studying in a strong music department. Peters has played the cello since age three. When sports commitments limited rehearsal time, Peters branched into guitar.

Football did not prevent Peters from participating in musical ensembles. For seven consecutive years, Peters earned a spot in the Georgia All-State Orchestra, a selective group that culls the best student musicians from around the state. At Harvard, Peters is a music concentrator.

“A lot of people told me that I would have to eventually choose music or football, especially in college,” Peters said. “That never really happened.”