Georgia Tech Recruiting Class 2011

[Nitram4891]

I know this article is old but I thought it was a good read and I haven't seen any threads talking about our class this year.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-tech/georgia-tech-recruiting-analysis-825728.html

More than half of Georgia Tech's 22-member class are either linebackers or offensive linemen, which coach Paul Johnson said Tech wanted to do. The Yellow Jackets signed eight linebackers, including one who may move to long-snapper. Four players are projected to be offensive linemen. Johnson said Tech is much closer to balancing the class in terms of size and positions, which is why he wasn't concerned that he didn't sign any defensive linemen. The team already is deep at that position, including several players who redshirted last season. Plus some of this classes' linebackers may grow into defensive ends.

At the skill positions, they signed one player, Vad Lee, who will definitely play quarterback and another, Demontevious Smith, who may. They signed one player, Zach Laskey, projected to play B-back, two possible A-backs and three possible wide receivers.

Five defensive backs signed. Though three of the those are listed as able to play another position. Smith is an example. He is listed as a QB/DB.

Johnson and the assistant coaches stressed the character of each of the players who signed, which also included several players who Tech's coaches said maintained 4.0 grade-point averages.

Among friends

Though Tech did lose one commitment to Wake Forest, it also gained one from the Deacons. The Jackets' class seems to hold up against the rest of the ACC. Florida State has what is projected to be the No. 1 class and Clemson and North Carolina are projected to finish with top-20 classes. Virginia also impressed, signing four of what is considered to be the top 150 players.

The hits

Perhaps the most important letters of intent Tech received were from quarterback Vad Lee, linebackers Anthony Harrell and Jabari Hunt-Days, cornerback Domonique Noble and running back Broderick Snoddy. Lee, a four-star recruit, passed for 3,223 yards and rushed for 1,300 in leading Hillside (Durham) to the North Carolina state championship. Hunt-Days and Harrell could challenge for time in the fall. Not to be overlooked are offensive linemen Shaq Mason and Trey Braun, a 6-foot-5, 305-pound early enrollee whose academic background reminds some of Sean Bedford.

The misses

Tech lost five players who were commitments at one time. None were surprises. Among the notables, defensive end Stephen Tuitt, who was a Jacket for less than two days before re-pledging to Notre Dame, sent his letter-of-intent to the Irish. Airyn Willis, a quarterback and wide receiver, was a long-time commitment who signed with Wake Forest. He said he wanted to play slot receiver. Darian Cooper, an uncommitted four-star defensive tackle from Maryland, signed with Iowa.

Filling holes

Tech lost two starting linebackers from last season, inside linebacker Brad Jefferson and outside linebacker Anthony Egbuniwe. Hunt-Days has the size (6-3, 226) to step in and play immediately in the middle of the defense alongside Julian Burnett. Tech's wide receivers had issues last season catching passes. Either Darren Waller (6-5, 204) or Jeff Greene (6-4, 200) seemingly have the size to contribute at least as blockers on the edge, if not as downfield threats. Because he enrolled early, Braun could add depth to an offensive line that lost starters Bedford, Nick Claytor, and Austin Barrick, as well as reserve Zach Krish from last season.

In-state success

Tech signed 10 in-state players, which is at least as many Johnson has signed the previous two years. Two players, Zach Laskey and Jeff Greene, were teammates at Starr's Mill. Hunt-Days, from Marietta, is the younger brother of Tech quarterback Synjyn Days. Snoddy is considered to be the state's fastest player. He won the Class 3A 100-meter state championship.

Out-of-state success

Tech signed players from six states other than Georgia and had the most out-of-state success in Florida, where they picked up four players. The Jackets were able to sign another player from Jesuit in Tampa, where starting tackle Phil Smith, reserve cornerback Michael Peterson and former B-back Anthony Allen are from. Tech dipped into southeast Alabama, where they've had success, to sign DB Jamal Golden (Wetumpka) and WR/DB Corey Dennis (Troy). Tech also signed three players from North Carolina, taking advantage of the relationships that assistant coach Andy McCollum, who was an assistant at N.C. State, has in the state. It is the first time since 1996 that the Jackets signed a player from the Tarheel State.

Did you know?

Tech signee Tyler Marcordes of Normal, Ill., showed up unannounced at Tech in the spring of 2009 as a 6-3, 190-pound fringe prospect. However, his dad kept e-mailing Tech's coaches. He had a growth spurt during the summer and showed up at Tech again as a 6-4, 220-pound solid prospect. He's projected to be a linebacker with a body size that could support enough weight to allow him to play defensive end.

Quotable

-- Coach Paul Johnson: "Recruiting is a contact sport. Bottom line is the kid wants to come to your place or he doesn't. We're looking for guys who want to be at Georgia Tech and want to be in the program."

-- Assistant coach Andy McCollum on Lee: "He wanted to be a reason-why guy. From that position, that's what you want."