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DEL.ICIO.USTech Recruiting Report: Scouting the commits position-by-position
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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With 11 commitments, Georgia Tech is about halfway home with recruiting. Here’s a position-by-position look at how things are shaping up for the stretch run:
Quarterback
Committed (1): Jordan Luallen
Hopeful (2): Dontae Aycock, Courtney Dalcourt
Long shots (3): Ricky Johnson, Everett Proctor, David Sims
Comment: Luallen (Greenwood, Ind.) is the marquee recruit in this class. Tech is in great shape for Aycock (Tampa) and Dalcourt (Franklin, Ky.). Johnson (Lafayette, La.), a high school wide receiver, committed this week to Arkansas, and Proctor (Fayetteville, N.C.) committed weeks ago to N.C. State, although Tech hasn’t thrown in the towel. Sims (St. Matthews, S.C.) favors Kentucky.
A-Back
Hopeful (2): Al-Terek McBurse, Braxton Lane
Long shots (1): Orwin Smith
Comment: Tech isn’t sure what to make of Lane (Sandy Creek), a wide receiver who decided to focus on baseball this fall and skip football season. Smith (Phenix City, Ala.) would be a great snag, but he’s considering Auburn. McBurse (Winter Springs, Fla.) is a sleeper. If Tech pursues hard, he’s a good bet.
B-Back
Committed (1): Daniel Drummond
Long shots (1): Dominique Allen
Comments: Drummond (Flowery Branch) is a member of the AJC’s The Georgia 150 who is ranked the No. 5 fullback in the nation by Scout. Allen (Paris, Tenn.) is another 240-pound player, but he has committed to Tennessee. Tech has not written him off.
Wide receiver
Committed (1): Jeremy Moore
Comment: Moore (Austin, Texas) might be Tech’s only signee at the position. He’s a lanky 6-foot-3 possession type who committed in June.
Offensive line
Committed (3): Jay Finch, Will Jackson, Ray Beno
Hopeful (2): Wesley Johnson, Jimmy Staten
Long shots (2): Camden Wentz, Daniel Hood
Comment: It will be hard to get Johnson (Nashville) away from Vanderbilt, but Tech is a serious contender. Tech has a better shot at Staten (Ware County). Wentz is a Stanford pledge whom Tech has not offered, but might. Hood (Knoxville) is a high school tight end that Tech wants as a lineman. Tech has nabbed two in-state guys in Finch (Kennesaw Mountain) and Beno (Newnan), plus Jackson (Farragut, Tenn.).
Defensive end
Committed (2): Emanuel Dieke, Chris Crenshaw
Hopeful (2): Izaan Cross, Euclid Cummings
Comment: Tech is pleased with how this is going with commitments from the 6-foot-7 Dieke (North Clayton) and Crenshaw (Jefferson County) and an excellent shot at Cross (Flowery Branch), a teammate of Drummond’s. Cummings (Centennial) would be a steal. Tennessee leads.
Defensive end
Committed (1): J.C. Lanier
Comment: Lanier (ECI), who tops 340 pounds, is a Georgia 150 player and four-star recruit with Scout and Rivals. Tech might not recruit another interior defensive lineman.
Linebacker
Committed (1): Brandon Watts
Long shots (1): Chaun Grisham
Comment: Watts (Washington County) had offers from Florida and Clemson. Grisham, originally a Tech pledge, is committed to South Carolina, but Tech holds out faint hope.
Cornerback
Committed (1): Roderick Sweeting
Hopeful (1): Marsalis Teague
Long shots (1): Branden Smith
Comment: Sweeting (Luella) is Tech’s most prized commitment on defense. Teague (Paris, Tenn.) is a teammate of Allen’s. Smith (Washington) would be a miracle.
Safety
Long shots (3): Darren Myles, Jarvis Jones, Jawanza Starling
Comment: Of the three, Tech has the best shot at Myles (Carver-Atlanta). Jones (Carver-Columbus) and Starling (Tallahassee, Fla.) also are big-time blue-chippers.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment | Categories: Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, FSU, Florida, LSU, Other schools, South Carolina, Tech, Tennessee, UGA
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Comments
By jabarr
September 3, 2008 9:09 PM | Link to this
Sweet! Give them hell Mr. Johnson!!!!
By Paddy
September 4, 2008 7:34 AM | Link to this
Very good stuff, Todd. Believe GT best recruiting will come after GT plays a few games and the recruits see for themselves what to expect on ‘O’ & ‘D’ from CPJ.
By BobbyDodd
September 4, 2008 7:38 AM | Link to this
Todd,
If most of the recruits not committed are long shot miracles then who is Tech recruiting to fill their remaining 12-15 slots? If the jackets grab one or two of these hopefuls that still leaves many holes to fill.
By tholcomb2988
September 4, 2008 10:25 PM | Link to this
If most of the recruits not committed are long shot miracles then who is Tech recruiting to fill their remaining 12-15 slots? If the jackets grab one or two of these hopefuls that still leaves many holes to fill.
I’ll work on that question for next week, but there will be guys to emerge that I don’t have listed. Dalcourt is one like that, somebody who wasn’t really on the radar until a few weeks ago. There will be more like that. It’s difficult to predict who those players will be.
By LongBeachJacket
September 5, 2008 2:09 AM | Link to this
Todd - Great report. Very detailed and insightful. Thanks! Of course none of this is certain until next Feb., but it appears Tech is doing well so far with early verbal commits. GO Jackets!
By Ron
September 5, 2008 9:36 AM | Link to this
Todd, Great work. Always appreciate a detailed article like this on the Jackets. Keep up the good work.
By GT Ninety
September 6, 2008 6:32 PM | Link to this
Thanks Todd! Just might cancel my subscription to Rivals.com and depend solely on AJC IF you can continue to post reports like this.
Here’s a biz dev idea. Start a premium subscription service for inside recruting reports on GT and UGA. You guys are local and have the knowledge to compete w/ Rivals and Scout.
By Michael
September 7, 2008 12:15 AM | Link to this
Todd, thanks for that summary and update on Tech football recruiting. Sometimes we can’t find real good information on Tech, not like what is available on SEC schools and the bigger ACC programs like Miami, FSU and Clemson. It is great stuff. Hopefully you can update it every month.
One question, could you possibly provide news on Tech basketball? They had one recruit last year, a really good guard, but they lost like 4 players, so the numbers don’t add up. Is Tech basketball gonna be a few scholarships not given? Will the roster only have 9 or 10 players on it? Any last minute recruiting for THIS year taking place? Next year’s class is looking good, and maybe coach is just saving a scholarship or two for that, or maybe due to defections and such the scholarship rules won’t allow Tech to use more than one this year. Perhaps Hewitt will award one year scholarship or two to walk-ons, but that means shallow bench.
By Wreckmaniac
September 7, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this
Obviously, many of these kids are waiting to see what PJ’s squad is going to look like. After the VA TECH game next week, many will form their opinion and will commit.