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Thursday, February 8, 2007
Which recruits will see early action?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Every year at this time we try to figure out who among Georgia Tech’s signees will make an immediate impact in the fall. That’s a challenge this year because many of the most highly regarded signees play positions where Tech has a lot of depth.
The one place a star player could have made the most impact was tight end (Tech is very thin there behind Colin Peek), but the Yellow Jackets didn’t sign any of them. Receiver is the second biggest area of need, with Calvin Johnson, Chris Dunlap and Xavier McGuire gone off last season’s team.
Tech coach Chan Gailey warned against assuming freshmen would play only where there are obvious gaps and no established players to fill them. “It’s my responsibility to put the best players on the field, no matter what year they are,” Gailey said.
So, for example, consider the defensive line, which already looks strong with Adamm Oliver, Darrell Robertson and Michael Johnson at end, and Darryl Richard, Vance Walker, Elris Anyaibe and Robert Hall at tackle. But with big-time defensive ends Derrick Morgan and Jason Peters signing, maybe Tech looks at moving Oliver inside to tackle (as it has done in the past), or maybe Tech just rotates even more linemen.
“I know Derrick Morgan being in here this spring will really help him,” Gailey said.
Maybe Jonathan Dwyer or Roddy Jones bumps past one of Tashard Choice’s backups at running back. Maybe a freshman defensive back plays, too, if only because so many of the returning defensive backs (five of the top seven, perhaps) will be seniors. Maybe Nick Claytor or Clyde Yandell gets some time at offensive tackle, though Yandell has just one season of experience on offense. Maybe one of the linebackers fills the role Shane Bowen filled in 2006, though Philip Wheeler, Gary Guyton and Anthony Barnes would be my bet to play the vast majority of the snaps.
Don’t believe anyone who tells you he knows for sure who will play and how much. Injuries and other forms of attrition can change everything, and sometimes players look a lot different in August than they did on film and paper in February.
Still, it’s fun to guess. Which of Tech’s 20 newcomers do you expect to see on the field in the fall?
