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DEL.ICIO.USGeorgia Tech’s Giff Smith breaks down the Jackets 2009 recruits
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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A look at Georgia Tech’s signees, with a comment from recruiting coordinator Giff Smith:
RAYMOND BENO OT/6-1/280/Newman Smith on Beno: “He’s a kid that we knew about, weren’t sure about offering him until he came to camp. He had a great camp, competed well. He’s a kid that really grew on us. He’s very physical, he’s nasty. That’s one of the things that we look for in these linemen, to be really aggressive, to get after it. He brings that to the table.”
JULIAN BURNETT LB/5-10/210/Westside-Macon Smith on Burnett: “We’ve been tracking him for a long time at Westside. Coach (Robert) Davis has always raved about him down there. We truly respect his opinion. He’s a productive kid.”
CHRIS CRENSHAW DE/6-2/240/Jefferson County Smith on Crenshaw: “Chris Crenshaw is a kid that we liked as a junior and wondered if he was going to get big enough. He came into camp, weighed 240 pounds, had a big frame to get bigger. He’s extremely quick off the ball, long-armed, able to get off blocks and we think he can rush the passer pretty well.”
IZAAN CROSS SE/6-3/250/Flowery Branch Smith on Cross: “We felt like his body’s pretty mature. He was a kid that we definitely liked that we thought maturity-wise might have a chance to play early with the graduations we had on the defensive line.”
EUCLID CUMMINGS DE/6-3/230/Centennial Smith on Cummings: “He’s got a tremendous burst off the ball. We had him and Izaan in camp and were able to work with him personally. We feel like he’s got a chance to be a tremendous player.”
EMMANUEL DIEKE DE/6-7/230/North Clayton Smith on Dieke: “He’s a kid that we feel like could develop into a heck of a player. He really came on as a senior. He’s actually in school right now and we’re excited to see what he can do for us in the spring.”
DANIEL DRUMMOND RB/6-3/230/Flowery Branch Smith on Drummond: “We thought he was a heck of an athlete that could do a lot of things. We think he can be an excellent B-back. Fast, big, strong athlete that we’re really excited to have here.”
JAY FINCH OT/6-4/265/Kennesaw Mountain Smith on Finch: “He’s nasty, aggressive. He’s probably athletic enough to play on the defensive side of the ball, but we think he can fit in with the rest of the offensive line. He’s a kid that we were on early and that made a decision early.”
ANTONIO FOSTER G/6-4/290/Valdosta Smith on Foster: “Antonio Foster is a kid that we really liked off his junior tape, an offensive linemen that we recruited hard. He had committed to another school and coach (Todd) Spencer had stayed in good contact with him. We were fortunate that when he came up on his official visit, it reaffirmed that this was the place that he wants to be. “He’s very athletic, very physical at the point of attack, brings a little nastiness to the position.”
STEPHEN HILL WR/6-4/190/Miller Grove Smith on Hill: “He’s got a chance to get a lot of catches and make a lot of big plays. He’s a kid we’re extremely excited about. He’s got excellent speed and he’s got a great frame. He’s willing to block; he’s a great team player.”
WILL JACKSON G/6-4/280/Farragut (Tenn.) Smith on Jackson: “He’s a tough, physical kid that fits the same mold that we were looking to get.”
J.C. LANIER DT/6-3/335/ECI Smith on Lanier: “He brings a great presence inside at 326 pounds. He’s a kid that we thought, in losing the three d-tackles that we had, that we had that might have an opportunity to come in and compete for some playing time.”
JORDAN LUALLEN QB/6-3/190/Center Grove (Ind.) Smith on Luallen: “Jordan’s a very good athlete we really liked off of tape, and after meeting him and his family, it was a no-brainer on both ends. He’s just a tremendous kid that we think is going to be a heck of a football player for us.”
CARL MILES DB/5-10/175/Cypress Bay (Fla.) Smith on Miles: “Good ball skills, able to play the ball in the air, aggressive kid as a corner and has the ability to match up one on one.”
JEREMY MOORE WR/6-3/175/Johnson (Texas) Smith on Moore: “He’s very productive. He’s got big-play capability. He’s got good size to him and he’s willing to block.”
LANCE RICHARDSON S/6-2/190/Ware Shoals (S.C.) Smith on Richardson: “We had gotten some calls on him playing in an all-star game. Some coaches we really respect out there called and thought he was a prospect. Coach (Brian Jean-Mary) and Coach (Dave) Wommack went to see him. We felt like he was a safety that had good size that could be a physical player for us.”
DAVID SIMS ATH/5-11/205/Calhoun County (S.C.) Smith on Sims: “David is a very athletic quarterback out of South Carolina that we had liked for a long time that we thought fit the bill for us. He’s the type of kid that when you go after at the quarterback position, you want to come home with.”
ORWIN SMITH RB/6-0/190/Central (Ala.) Smith on Smith: “We really liked what he can do with the ball in his hands and also like the size that he’s got, and being able to block on the perimeter, too. Ideally, you’d like a kid that can play either (A-back or B-back), which he can. B-backs are a little bit bigger, but he can play either one.”
RODERICK SWEETING DB/6-0/175/Luella Smith on Sweeting: “A really tall kid, long-armed kid that can lock up man to man and cover. We’ve been wanting some kids at corner that had some length to them that are used to locking up man to man.” JEMEA THOMAS S/5-10/185/Fitzgerald Smith on Thomas: “He’s just been a tremendous player down there. He’s a kid that can play either side of the ball. He can play a number of positions. We’re just glad to have him as a Yellow Jacket.”
BRANDON WATTS LB/6-2/220/Washington County Smith on Watts: “Brandon Watts is a kid that’s been on our radar for a long time. We actually offered him when he was a sophomore. He’s a kid that’s been true to Georgia Tech the whole time. He’s a big athlete that can play outside linebacker or hybrid strong safety.”
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Permalink | Comments (17) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech
Comments
By jjacket
February 7, 2009 1:36 PM | Link to this
Great read. Good reporting. Can’t wait to see them on the flats.
THWG!
By TONY SHUMPERT
February 7, 2009 2:07 PM | Link to this
Which one of the new recruits is the youngest?
By GoGT
February 7, 2009 2:15 PM | Link to this
SWEET!
By UGA'91
February 7, 2009 2:24 PM | Link to this
Even though the recruiting “experts” had y’all ranked somewhere in the lower 20’s-50, this appears to be a good class for what y’all want to do. The Luallen kid is probably why Johnson felt comfortable pulling the other kids scholly. Looks like Johnson met a lot of his needs. Most seem a lil undersized for their respective positions but size probably isn’t as important in that system.
By Brian Jones TECH FAN
February 7, 2009 3:07 PM | Link to this
Right on the money UGA91 CPJ is getting kids for his system I dont know wy these uga and tech fans want to bicker and argue so much. As a tech fan yes I want to beat UGA every year but what i am excited about is uga and now GT both have good coaches great players and the rivalry will now be put back on map and give both schools an upper edge in recruiting. instead of playing nov 27 at noon it will be college gameday and primetime game. so congrats to CMR and CPJ now give your fans something to get excited about like we know yall will
By ga_tech_92
February 7, 2009 5:49 PM | Link to this
Go Jackets!
By Ron
February 7, 2009 9:33 PM | Link to this
One of the common things I have read about all of the OL signees is that they play very low to the ground, which is exactly what PJ wants in this offense. Will Jackson, in particular should push for some PT.
By Rocket Man
February 8, 2009 7:57 AM | Link to this
This is great looking forward to next year & the next year & the next year. Rocket Man
By Paddy
February 8, 2009 11:21 AM | Link to this
UGA91, these guys seem big enough to me as HS seniors. You are right, they fit CPJ plan in many ways. It looks like UGA and Tech did ok this recruiting season.
By gtforever
February 8, 2009 3:14 PM | Link to this
Ron,
At 6’ 1” you have NO choice but to play low to the ground…. Hmmmmm, not a whole lot to talk about. We will just have to wait and see how well these guys make the transformation from high school to college. The big problem we had with LSU was there size in the trenches. I don’t see any progress in recruiting any beef, I guess time will tell.
By Technique
February 8, 2009 4:10 PM | Link to this
Raymond’s 6’1” frame is going to be fine at CENTER…….he’s gonna be cutting half the time anyway. What size differential are you talking about? We got a 6’2” safety and 6’3” 325 DT!
By gtforever
February 8, 2009 4:37 PM | Link to this
Technique
I’m talking about the offensive line as well as the defensive line. We can cut block all day long. However, We will face the same problems we did in the chicken bowl, where LSU dominated our smaller offensive lineman. We were dominated several times last season in the trenches, and if we are recruiting little guys with no hope for getting the real beef, then we are destined to be knocked around by the bigger and better teams….
By Technique
February 8, 2009 5:38 PM | Link to this
Ok, but half of my comment was for UGA’91
By UGA'91
February 9, 2009 9:59 AM | Link to this
I don’t know if anyone is still looking at this post, if so, great comments by all above. Here’s a factoid; the state of Georgia put more kids in D1 schools than any other state except the big boys (Cali, TX, Fl). I’m a grad of UGA (go dawgs) but I’m also a fan of GA high school football. If GT can raise it’s level of play to consistent top 10 status using primarily GA kids, the State of Georgia will be viewed like Florida, a major hot bed for football. Like Brian Jones said, instead of being an after thought our rivalry will require prime time attention.
By ReggieATL
February 9, 2009 11:49 AM | Link to this
pretty underwhelming class.
By st simons
February 9, 2009 12:31 PM | Link to this
45-42!!!!!!!!! hahahahah lol ha
By RealityYech
February 9, 2009 1:53 PM | Link to this
Ron,
By playing “low to the ground” you mean they do those cheap, cowardly “chop blocks” that Johnson teaches? LOL!! Douchebags from North Ave!! Gotta love ‘em!!!