Georgia Tech wide receiver DeAndre Smelter has a torn ACL, coach Paul Johnson said after Monday’s practice. It will force him out of Saturday’s ACC championship game and the Yellow Jackets’ bowl game.
“DeAndre’s a great, great player, and I feel bad for him, because I know how bad he wanted to finish the season and how bad he wants to play,” Johnson said.
Smelter suffered the injury in the first half of Saturday’s win over Georgia. It ends a standout season for Smelter, who joined the team in the summer of 2013 after three seasons with the Tech baseball team. Smelter caught 35 passes for 715 yards and seven touchdowns and also served as an effective perimeter blocker in the running game. His 20.4 yards-per-catch average ranks sixth all-time in Tech history for a single season for a player with 25 or more catches.
Besides causing him to miss the postseason, it will also impact his draft preparation. Smelter’s season had undoubtedly improved his draft stock, but now he won’t be able to participate in pre-draft workouts. Typically, a full recovery can take around 10 or 11 months.
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