Wide receiver Melton making strides

The Tyler Melton making hard cuts and stretching to snare passes on Georgia Tech’s practice field doesn’t resemble the one who played sparingly at the end of last season.

Melton is fully recovered from the MCL tear he suffered last Oct. 18 at Clemson. Melton hurt himself when a defender rolled up on his right leg as he was blocking on a run play.

Though the 6-foot, 200-pound wideout returned after missing three games, he did not make an impact after that injury.

“I was doing the best I could. I felt alright, but it wasn’t until after the season that I was 100 percent,” said Melton, a rising sophomore who started seven games.

“You need all your ligaments, and you need to move, so there’s a big difference now. I can make precision cuts out there, and I’m just concentrating on catching the ball.”

He’s caught just about everything thrown his way this spring.

After finishing his freshman season with five catches for 53 yards, Melton wants to develop into a consistent threat opposite Demaryius Thomas.

“A lot of guys will be targeting him this year,” Melton said. “We’ve got to take advantage of the opportunities on the back side.”

On-and-off the practice field

Second-team all-ACC guard Cord Howard (shoulder) did not practice Monday, leaving three-fifths of the starting offensive line on the sideline. Center Dan Voss is rehabbing from shoulder surgery, and left tackle Nick Claytor has a back injury.

B-back Jonathan Dwyer returned to practice after missing Friday and Saturday’s workouts with a tweaked hamstring. Defensive end Emmanuel Dieke left practice after hurting his knee. Coach Paul Johnson said he would be fine.

The team practiced in full pads and ran a series of 11-on-11 full-contact plays. Quarterback Josh Nesbitt continued to throw with accuracy.