It’s always been Georgia Tech for Tre Swilling.
The cornerback from New Orleans is the son of Georgia Tech great and All-American Pat Swilling, so naturally, Tre learned Tech traditions early on.
Before his recruitment, Swilling was a frequent guest at Bobby Dodd Stadium. As a child, it was to relive the glory days of his father, but as he grew older, it became about his older brother, Patrick Swilling, Jr.
Patrick graduated from Brother Martin High School in 2010—the same high school Tre and adopted brother Bruce Jordan-Swilling currently attend. Patrick was recruited by Georgia Tech to play football and basketball, Tre said.
Because of the recruiting his older brother went through in high school, Tre was familiar with the Georgia Tech recruitment process when the Yellow Jackets came calling.
"I'm not sure if I would do anything differently,” Swilling said of his recruitment. “My parents and my family, they helped me."
While Swilling’s family coached him through the recruiting process, Swilling also sought advice from a former teammate of Pat Swilling— Tech defensive coordinator Ted Roof.
Roof has been a trusted family friend of the Swillings long enough to convince Swilling and Jordan-Swilling to join Tech’s 2017 signing class along with Roof’s son and linebacker TD Roof. Swilling and Jordan-Swilling committed to Tech in August and each signed their letter-of-intent on National Signing Day.
The Swilling brothers attended Tech’s annual spring football game on Friday night. Swilling and Jordan-Swilling will enroll at Georgia Tech after graduation from Brother Martin in May.
Here’s the rest of the Q&A with Tre Swilling:
What advice would you give a junior now that you've been through the recruiting process?
Swilling: "Enjoy it and treat it like a business."
What there any school that was a disappointment to you during the recruiting process?
Swilling: "Every school that didn't offer me was kind of a disappointment in my eyes. With that said, I think I sat down and made the right decision. I can't complain."
What is the most creative thing a college did to get your attention?
Swilling: "I really enjoyed the edits (that schools) were able to make up. They were cool. All the different teams, to be able to put your face on a dollar bill. Putting your face in the stadium... Just really anything as far as the edits. They put you in a jersey and give you perspective on what you could look like and how everything is and just brings you closer to the school."
Which college coach was the hardest for you to turn down?
Swilling: "Coach Ted Roof without a doubt... I couldn't turn him down. That's why I'm at Georgia Tech right now."
Other than Roof being a family friend, what made him so convincing?
Swilling: "He (showed me how Tech could have) that at home feel."
Did you have any rumors or anything untrue that went around about you during recruitment?
Swilling: "As far as talent ability, people would come and look at me and see I'm a big corner and they liked to say that I had trouble getting low and moving my hips and opening up... I guess I'm just someone they kind of overlooked."
What are Georgia Tech's expectations of you when you enroll?
Swilling: "They're telling me to come in there and be who I want. Be the best version of me I can be. Be the best athlete I can be. They haven't told me that they want me to come in and start playing right away, but they definitely want me to come compete for a starting spot and that's my (goal) as well."
With so many cornerbacks on the roster and in your signing class, how will you differentiate yourself to earn that starting spot?
Swilling: "Just going in there and being a student of the game... Being able to know the playbook better than anyone else and being able to differentiate (myself.) Starting early, playing late and knowing what I'm supposed to be doing and knowing my assignments."
What do you want Georgia Tech fans to know about you?
Swilling: "I want them to know I'm not stopping until we get to the top of the ACC and (prove we can be contenders for) national football."
