Georgia Tech's signing day class is complete. The Yellow Jackets received 24 letters of intent from players from across the state of Georgia and six other states, including Hawaii and California. Said coach Paul Johnson, "I thought that we were able to address some needs. It’s a little heavier probably on defense than offense, which is where we had a few more openings, but all in all, I think it’s a well-rounded class."
1:05 P.M.
24. Mikey Minihan, offensive line, Honolulu, 6-3, 285
Tech’s connection to Hawaii is unusually strong. Coaches Paul Johnson, Buzz Preston and Mike Sewak all coached at Hawaii and still have connections to the islands. Minihan comes from the St. Louis School, a powerhouse school in Hawaii, and is rated the No. 1 guard in Hawaii. Minihan was also offered by Hawaii, San Jose State and service academies.
10:46 A.M.
23. Brenton King, kicker, Mill Creek High, 6-0, 165
King joined the class not long after long-time commit Joseph Bulovas withdrew his commitment in January, ultimately to be recruited by Alabama. King, who figures to step into the void left by Harrison Butker, had been committed to Old Dominion. King was rated the No. 1 kicking prospect in the state by Chris Sailer Kicking.
22. Boe Tufele, offensive line, Harbor City, Calif., 6-3, 290
One of the more unlikely signees, Tufele was invited to an official visit last Friday and was on a plane later the same day. Further, Tufele played defensive line in high school, akin to offensive tackle Jahaziel Lee’s transition. Also recruited by Hawaii and Illinois, Tufele is rated a three-star prospect by 247.
21. Jaquan Henderson, linebacker, Newton High, 6-1, 210
Henderson was wooed away from Tennessee by Tech on the second-to-last weekend of the recruiting period. Henderson, who held offers from Michigan, LSU and Nebraska, among others, joins Bruce Jordan-Swilling and T.D. Roof to form a solid linebacking group in the class.
10:20 A.M.
20. Kelton Dawson, defensive end, Stockbridge High, 6-4, 235
Offered in December, Dawson will join a position group that will lose Antonio Simmons and KeShun Freeman after this season. Dawson shows athletic ability for his position. He’ll have competition in his class from Antwan Owens and Cortez Alston.
10:12 A.M.
19. TD Roof, linebacker, Buford High, 5-11, 205
The son of Tech defensive coordinator Ted Roof has been an integral member of Buford’s state powerhouse team. He’ll come in with considerable competition at linebacker with Jaquan Henderson and Bruce Jordan-Swilling. A three-star prospect, he also had offers from Central Florida, South Florida, Indiana and East Carolina. He was the third player to commit to the class.
10:03 A.M.
18. Bruce Jordan-Swilling, linebacker, New Orleans, 6-2, 215
The highest-rated prospect in Tech’s class by most accounts – ESPN ranks him the No. 193 player in the country. He was also named to the U.S. Army All-American game. Jordan-Swilling has a strong chance to play this fall.
Read more about Jordan-Swilling here
17. Tre Swilling, cornerback, New Orleans, 6-1, 183
Rated the No. 17 player in the state of Louisiana by 247, he was also rated a four-star prospect by Rivals. The son of Tech great Pat Swilling has also been an influential ambassador for the Jackets’ recruiting interests, reaching out to uncommitted players to try to bring them in the fold.
9:57 A.M.
16. Da’Meon Williams, cornerback, Norcross High, 5-10, 170
Williams follows former Blue Devils Clinton Lynch and Jarett Cole to Tech. Williams had interest in Michigan State and North Carolina, among others, but found Tech to be the best fit. He’ll have competition at his position, joining Tech at the same time as potential cornerbacks Tre Swilling, Gentry Bonds, Jaytlin Askew and Kaleb Oliver.
9:46 A.M.
15. Kaleb Oliver, athlete, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 6-3, 205
One of the more highly-touted members of the class, Oliver was committed to Mississippi State before a coaching change prompted his withdrawal. He picked Tech over Ole Miss in a battle that went down to the wire. With size and solid tackling form, he could be a special teamer for the Jackets this fall.
9:42 A.M.
14. Jordan Ponchez-Mason, B-back, Gallatin, Tenn., 6-1, 205
A January commit, Ponchez-Mason could jump into the competition to back up Dedrick Mills at B-back. One of the top recruits in the state of Tennessee, he shows good vision, quick feet and tackle-breaking power.
9:38 A.M.
13. Antwan Owens, defensive end/defensive tackle, Tallahassee, Fla., 6-4, 270
A powerful hitter with ability to move well, Owens is one of the bigger prospects that Tech has signed on the defensive line. A flip from Central Florida, where he had been committed since last summer, Owens could be a candidate to move to defensive tackle.
9:23 A.M.
12. Zach Quinney, offensive line, Savannah Christian, 6-6, 265
Quinney, a three-star prospect (247 Sports), turned down offers from North Carolina, Mississippi State and Duke, among others, to select Tech. He started four seasons at Savannah Christian, was a two-time all-state selection, and can run the 40-yard dash in 5.0 seconds, a quality time for a lineman. Savannah Christian runs an offense similar to Tech’s.
9:21 A.M.
11. Charlie Clark, offensive tackle, Marist School, 6-4, 286
A Tech offer in January convinced Clark to withdraw his commitment from Tulane. One of several offensive line prospects in the class, Clark was an all-state selection in Class AAAA. The typical route for an offensive lineman is to redshirt as a freshman, although the 2016 season proved the exception. He also received offers from Georgia Southern, Army and Navy.
9:11 A.M.
10. Tobias Oliver, quarterback, Northside High, 6-2, 175
An option quarterback who runs with strength, balance and speed, Oliver is the sole quarterback in the class. Oliver also can fire the ball downfield on target, a prerequisite for the Jackets’ offense. He also had reported offers from Troy, Army and Mercer.
9:10 A.M.
9. Connor Hansen, offensive line, Tallahassee, Fla., 6-2, 325.
Hansen became Tech's second commit after a dominant showing at a camp at Tech last summer, showing agility, quickness and strength (to go with size). Marshall and Central Florida were both contending for Hansen when he pulled the trigger on Tech.
9:09 A.M.
8. Tariq Carpenter, safety, Long County High, 6-2, 188
Carpenter was one of two players that Tech flipped from Central Florida, defensive end Antwan Owens being the other. He has the look of a physical run defender who can close on ball carriers quickly. He joins a crowded secondary and will have to fight for reps.
8:59 A.M.
7. Jerry Howard, B-back, Rock Hill, S.C., 6-0, 215
Howard was committed to East Carolina when he switched and committed to Tech in November. Like fellow commit Jordan Ponchez-Mason, Howard has a chance to compete immediately for playing time behind B-back Dedrick Mills. Howard has a thick build, can break tackles and can catch the ball out of the backfield.
8:58 A.M.
6. Pressley Harvin, punter, Sumter, S.C., 6-0, 240
One of the highest-rated punters in the class, Harvin figures to be an immediate boost for Tech's punting game. Harvin was also the first member of the class to commit.
8:55 A.M.
5. Avery Showell, safety, Cartersville High, 6-2, 200
A late addition – he committed Jan. 22 – Showell had been committed to Wake Forest since last summer. A three-star prospect, Showell showed his versatility by starting at wide receiver/tight end and outside linebacker for the back-to-back Class AAAA state champions, but he appears headed for safety at Tech.
Read more about Showell here
8:54 A.M.
4. Adonicas Sanders, wide receiver, Charleston, S.C., 6-foot-1, 195
Sanders was a late addition to the class, committing to Tech Monday after an official visit this past weekend. Sanders caught 61 passes for 1,440 yards and 20 touchdowns at Fort Dorchester High. His offer list is not overwhelming – his reported offers include Western Carolina and Presbyterian – but his game video shows himself to have shiftiness and soft hands.
8:53 A.M.
3. Cortez Alston, defensive end, Westminster School, 6-3, 250
A prospect pursued by the ACC, SEC and Ivy League, Alston plays with determination and awareness. From the same school that sent Harrison Butker to Tech, Alston has a little more heft than many Tech defensive end signees.
UPDATE, 8:50 A.M. (apologies for the late start. some very bad decisions with traffic)
2. Gentry Bonds, cornerback, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 6-1, 193
Rated a three-star prospect by 247 (four stars by Rivals), Bonds is a strong candidate to play this fall, particularly since he enrolled early and will be able to take part in spring practice.
1. Jaytlin Askew, cornerback, McEachern High, 5-8, 160
An early enrollee recruited by safeties coach Andy McCollum, Askew is undersized but drew reported offers Auburn, Clemson and Florida State, among others. Askew was drawn to Tech in no small part because of the school’s academic strength. As an early enrollee, his chances of playing this fall, likely on special teams, increases.
Check back here starting Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m. and throughout the morning for updates.
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