Let’s dive into the secondary!
Season Review
Last season, Georgia Tech’s pass defense did a great job of limiting EPA on passing plays (-0.04 EPA/pass). Beyond that, though, it felt more like an up-and-down season for the secondary. There was some good, but there were also plays where it just felt like the secondary was a step behind. Moving into this season, there will be several changes in the starting line-up, and I’m curious to see how it all plays out.
Who’s Gone?
The Yellow Jackets lose three starters from last year: nickel back KJ Wallace (transferred to UCLA), safety Jaylon King (graduated and invited to NY Jets rookie minicamp), and cornerback Myles Sims (graduated). These were honestly three of the better players in the secondary. Wallace never made a lot of noise, but King and especially Sims were excellent in their roles and leave big holes to be filled. Reserve cornerback Kenyatta Watson II also transferred out during the offseason to Georgia State.
Who’s Returning?
With three starters departing, the Yellow Jackets return two starters in safety LaMiles Brooks and cornerback Ahmari Harvey. Clayton Powell-Lee also returns at safety and has a bit of starting experience. Unfortunately, he took a bit of a step back during his sophomore season. It’s also worth noting that Wallace’s back-up at nickel back, Omar Daniels, also returns to the team this season.
Who’s New?
Georgia Tech is adding a lot of players to its secondary this season through the portal and recruitment. Coming to the Yellow Jackets through the transfer portal are Warren Burrell (Tennessee), Syeed Gibbs (Rhode Island), Zachary Tobe (Illinois), and Jayden Davis (Cincinnati). A few notes on each of them:
- Burrell has a lot of starting experience and broke up 7 passes in 2021. He dealt with injuries in 2022 and played more sparingly last season.
- Gibbs was an NCAA Division I FBS freshman all-America in 2023 with three interceptions and six pass break-ups.
- Tobe broke up 5 passes in his three starts last season.
- Davis comes in as a redshirt freshman with no stats but was a top 50 recruit in the state of Georgia coming out of high school.
The Yellow Jackets also add four new freshmen to the secondary: Cedric Franklin II out of Kell HS (Georgia), Nehemiah Chandler out of Wakulla HS (Florida), Christian Pritchett out of St. Augustine HS (Louisiana), and Troy Stevenson IV out of Philip Simmons HS (South Carolina). A few notes on each of them:
- Franklin II is a three-star prospect. Over his last two seasons, he finished with 61 tackles, 7 pass break-ups, 1 interception, and 2 fumble recoveries.
- Chandler played corner, receiver, and quarterback in high school and lettered at four different high schools. In his senior season, he helped his team go undefeated during the regular season.
- Pritchett moved to safety as a senior after primarily playing quarterback. His cousin played in the NFL for 10 years.
- Stevenson IV is a four-star prospect and was the fifth-best player out of South Carolina. Over his final three seasons, he compiled 8 interceptions and 22 passes broken up (2 and 10 as a senior, respectively). Set a school record 1,020 receiving yards and had 21 total touchdowns (including 2 pick-sixes).
Season Outlook
There are going to be some changes in Georgia Tech’s secondary this season, and it’s exciting to see how it’s going to play out, especially with new blood in the coaches’ room too. With some key returning starters, this group will hopefully see some improvement this season.
Projected starters:
- Cornerback: Ahmari Harvey and Rodney Shelley OR Warren Burrell
- Nickel Back: Omar Daniels
- Safety: LaMiles Brooks and Clayton Powell-Lee OR Syeed Gibbs
How do you see the secondary shaking out this season?