Now that Georgia Tech’s 24 signees are in the fold, the next goal for the future Yellow Jackets and their coaches will be to get them on the field.
The two players most likely to play significant roles for Tech are kicker Brenton King from Mill Creek High and punter Pressley Harvin from Alcolu, S.C. With kicker Harrison Butker and punter Ryan Rodwell having graduated, there isn’t a scholarship player at either position, although they’ll be pushed by walk-ons.
B-back signees Jerry Howard of Rock Hill, S.C., and Jordan Ponchez-Mason from Galllatin, Tenn., could challenge for playing time behind returning starter Dedrick Mills. Both Mills and former B-back Marcus Marshall (now at James Madison) have shown that freshmen can contribute immediately at that position. With no definite No. 2 at that spot, there is an opportunity for both Howard and Ponchez-Mason.
As is always the case, special teams could be a vehicle for several players to get on the field in their first season. Linebacker Jaquan Henderson from Newton High, one of the more highly rated players in the class, is a possibility. The two early enrollees, cornerbacks Jaytlin Askew from McEachern High and Gentry Bonds from Murfreesboro, Tenn., will have a leg up by being able to go through spring practice on top of being highly rated prospects.
Ranked 193rd nationally by ESPN, linebacker Bruce Jordan-Swilling of New Orleans may also be among the more college-ready players in the class, as might his brother Tre, a cornerback, ranked 295th. Another is Kaleb Oliver, a safety from Murfreesboro, Tenn., rated a four-star prospect by Rivals.
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