Alabama transfer Jaylen Mbakwe has found a home at Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech quarterback Alberto Mendoza fielded an odd question earlier this week.
From the back of the room, behind reporters and cameras, came a voice asking Mendoza for an impression of one his coaches.
The request came from Jaylen Mbakwe, a junior cornerback who, like Mendoza, is a transfer from a high-profile program and figures to play a critical role for the Yellow Jackets this season.
Mendoza laughed and obliged.
The moment offered a glimpse of Mbakwe’s comfort at his new home and his connection with his teammates.
“He has a great personality,” said Yellow Jackets cornerbacks coach Kobie Jones. “He has an energy about him that everybody is attracted to.”
Mbakwe’s focus at Tech is on defense. But his football career has taken him just about everywhere else.
The 6-foot, 200-pound former 5-star recruit from Clay, Alabama, played quarterback, wide receiver, running back and defensive back in high school.
He spent two seasons at Alabama, splitting time between defensive back, wide receiver and special teams. He had three catches for 55 yards last season before transferring to Tech this offseason.
Now, he is drawing on those experiences as he settles into a more permanent role at cornerback.
Mbakwe said his time playing receiver helps him anticipate what is coming from opposing offenses. He can estimate what route a receiver is likely to run based on down and distance and how many steps the quarterback drops back. He also watches the spacing between the wide receivers and offensive line before the snap, looking for clues about what might be coming.
“I think that’s the biggest thing carrying over from receiver to corner,” he said, “knowing down and distance and splits and what routes I’m getting at this time.”
Jones, in his second season at Tech, understands Mbakwe’s unusual path. Jones played both quarterback and defensive back at Alabama State.
The athleticism and versatility required to move between positions can be an advantage on a football field. But changing positions, particularly between offense and defense, presents challenges, too.
“Just getting used to the movements again,” Jones said of Mbakwe. “Everything he did (last year) was going forward. Now he’s going back.”
Jones was an assistant at Alabama when Mbakwe was a freshman. The preexisting relationship has helped Mbakwe get comfortable. And even though Mbakwe is a newcomer, according to Jones, he has helped bring together a defensive backfield that is learning to play together.
“You’re going to see him goofy all the time,” said senior corner Daiquan White. “He just kind of brings a light to the defense, makes everybody play as one and come together.”
Mbakwe is an important part of Tech’s defensive overhaul.
Last season, the Yellow Jackets intercepted just four passes and ranked 98th nationally among 136 FBS teams in passing yards allowed, per CFBStats.com.
Jason Semore, most recently at Southern Miss, became the Jackets defensive coordinator this offseason.
Creating turnovers is a priority for Semore. Amid work to accomplish that, Jones said he repeats three words to his defensive backs: Poise. Discipline. Details.
Tech will get its first chance to show if the changes have taken hold Sept. 3, when it opens the season against Colorado at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
“Each practice we’re gaining more and more confidence in our technique, and that allows us to play with more poise on the back end,” Jones said.
Mbakwe credits his outgoing personality to his mother. She always told him if he wasn’t smiling, something was wrong. After he answered questions from the media on Wednesday, Mbakwe flashed a smile as he turned to leave.
“Y’all have a great day,” he said. “Go Jackets.”