Jalon Calhoun came to a recent Georgia Tech camp as a quarterback. However, Calhoun also showed Tech coaches what he could do as a wide receiver and cornerback. As a result, he received a scholarship offer, which he accepted to become a part of the Yellow Jackets’ 2019 recruiting class.
“It feels real good knowing I don’t have to worry about going to camps and everything,” Calhoun said. “Just focus on high-school ball and my last year.”
Calhoun, a quarterback at Southside High in Greenville, S.C., committed to Tech on June 14, joining what is now an eight-member class. It followed his camp participation and then an unofficial visit to campus with family. Calhoun picked Tech over East Carolina. He liked the coaches, referring to them as father figures, liked the campus and liked the strength of a Tech degree.
“I saw myself playing there,” he said.
Calhoun, 5-foot-11 and 177 pounds, has played quarterback at Southside to this point (he threw for 2,266 yards with 20 touchdowns last season), but has also trained at cornerback. At the camp, after throwing some passes, Calhoun said he asked coaches if he could show what he could do at wide receiver and cornerback.
“I showed I could do more,” Calhoun said. “They said I did really well.”
Though he hasn’t played at either wide receiver or cornerback in a game, Calhoun was undaunted.
“I’m very comfortable when I step out and play either of those positions,” Calhoun said. “I just trust my athletic ability to guide me through it.”
Calhoun’s area recruiter is safeties coach Shiel Wood, who previously recruited him while he was an assistant coach at Wofford. Calhoun said that he wasn’t aware that Wood had left Wofford for Tech until they saw each other at Southside while Wood was making a visit.
Calhoun came back to Atlanta on June 13 with family for a visit, taking a tour of campus and meeting with coaches. He received his scholarship offer that day, then accepted it the following day.
He said he’s considering enrolling early. He is the only member of the class with the “athlete” designation. There is one other defensive back in the group, safety Jeremiah Smith of Grayson High.
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