When two-way lineman Jahaziel Lee went down with a gruesome leg injury last year, he told Georgia Tech coach Geoff Collins how the Yellow Jackets’ offensive line needed to be realigned without him on the field. Lee had invested over three years in the program and, above all else, wanted to see his teammates succeed.
The 6-foot-2, 300-pound lineman underwent season-ending surgery in September to mend a broken fibula, an injury that he sustained in Tech’s third regular-season game, against The Citadel. He’s spent the past six months recovering in rehab, but is back on the field for spring practice, playing alongside the people he cares about a lot.
“I feel pretty good,” Lee said. “It’s been a grind in rehab to even get out here (in spring practice). My ankle’s getting stronger every day. I’m not getting a whole bunch of reps as far as going against people, but the reps I do get, whether it’s physical or mental reps, I’m taking full advantage of.”
Lee’s recovery is nothing short of remarkable, but Lee reflected on the timing of the injury, which occurred before he had played in four games last year, allowing him to come back for another season. In his mind, despite going down with a serious injury, he was fortunate to get another opportunity.
“That’s why I wasn’t so down (last year after the injury). That’s why I wasn’t so, ‘Oh, my God.’ Like, this is terrible. I wasn’t so down on myself knowing that I could come back,” Lee said. “It would have been different if it was my fifth year, or if it would have been my fifth game I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to come back and get a next year. At that time, I honestly probably would have called it quits for football.”
Lee candidly spoke about the difficulty of rehab over the last few months. He credited his desire to rejoin the team as his strongest motivator. Watching his “boys” on TV last year reaffirmed how badly he wanted to get back and finish out his college career strong.
Tech defensive line coach Larry Knight is easing Lee back into full practice this spring, but likes what he’s seen so far. Lee will make the full switch to defensive line this year, after having split time on offense and defense last season.
“At the end of the day, I’d rather say ‘whoa’ than sic ’em.’ That’s the type of person that he is,” Knight said. “You have to slow him down because he’ll just go and go and go. That’s the good thing about him, he approaches everything with a positive attitude, and he attacks everything in front of him. That’s exactly what he’s been doing.
“He’s looking better and better every week, so that’s good. We just have to keep getting him stronger.”
Although Lee played both offense and defense over the past few years, he’s only recorded one tackle in his time at Tech, coming in 2018. Over that time, he’s appeared in over 30 games as an offensive lineman, making starts at center and left tackle. His versatility has made him a useful asset in Collins’s system, that uses players at multiple positions to maximize talent.
Lee’s high school defensive performance shows plenty of upside, even if doesn’t have the collegiate numbers to boast. As a senior, he recorded 78 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, and five sacks.
Lee acknowledged that he occasionally misses the offensive line, but it’s clear where his true passion lies.
“Low-key, I sometimes do miss (offensive line). Some days after practice the quarterbacks might be throwing around and I might even go and snap a little bit for them, just to give them a little look,” Lee said. “Sometimes I do miss it, but my heart desires defensive tackle. That’s where the money’s at, that’s why I love it. I love it man.”
The senior also uses his knowledge from the offensive line and applies it to his technique on defense. The Jackets’ defensive line remains young and inexperienced, allowing Lee to make an impact with his knowledge of how an offense operates.
Even still, he finds himself learning from the younger defensive tackles.
“Playing offensive line and defensive line, I can help those (younger) guys understand the offense a little bit better,” Lee said. “But then there’s things that they’ve done that I haven’t done, that they can help me with. We all just collaborate with each other and become more innovative and help each other out. Really picking each other’s brains and getting better.”
When it comes to setting goals for next season, Lee is straightforward: reach double-digits in tackles for loss and sacks and be named an All-ACC defensive tackle.
Even though the start of next season is nearly six months away, Lee can’t wait to get into another game.
“Getting this extra time, getting a whole year, and then to be able to come back next year and try Pro Day or even in getting a chance to go to the NFL combine, it feels great,” Lee said.
“I’m ready, I’m ready. It’s time to go.”
