One the many strengths of Georgia Tech’s offense going into the 2024 season is the unit’s wide receivers, a group as deep as it is versatile.
Tech has five of its top six receivers back from the 2023 season, including top two pass catchers Malik Rutherford and Eric Singleton Jr. Rutherford, Singleton, Christian Leary, Abdul Janneh and Chase Lane combined to make 132 receptions for 1,752 yards and 15 touchdowns a season ago.
“You know at some other places you’ve got a good three guys and then you’re trying to develop some of the other ones. I think we’ve got six or seven guys that are competing right now,” Tech wide receivers coach Trent McKnight said. “You’ve got some of those top-end guys that are continuing to improve each and every day but have a chance to be as good as any that I’ve coached. It’s just the mindset of going out there to work every day and get better, and that’s what they have.”
McKnight, in his first year with the Yellow Jackets after crossing the city from Georgia State, was handed a bevy of riches at the receiver position. Not only are the aforementioned five wideouts back for Tech, but former four-star recruit Leo Blackburn (now a junior) is finally fully healthy, and freshman Bailey Stockton showed promise in the program’s spring game, with three catches for 93 yards.
The wealth of depth and talent, however, begs the question as to whether the Jackets can stand that prosperity knowing not everyone is guaranteed a reception each week in the season ahead. Lane said not to worry about that.
“This is probably the most fun I’ve ever had playing football. Just the guys we have in that (group), they make it fun to come to work each day,” the senior said. “It’s really nice you have that camaraderie with the guys, we’re always doing everything together, whether we’re working out together on the weekends, whether we’re hanging out on the weekends, whether we’re coming up here talking, watching film – we always try to stay together. It’s kind of cool when it feels natural, it doesn’t feel forced. It was like that when I got here from Day One.”
Lane had seven catches for 105 yards and a touchdown through two games in 2023, then was hampered by injury the remainder of the season and managed one more catch the rest of the way. But he’s expected to be among the top four receivers on Tech’s two-deep depth chart when the Jackets open the season Aug. 24 against Florida State in Dublin, Ireland.
Rutherford and Singleton, of course, will be the main two targets for quarterback Haynes King. Rutherford goes into his fourth season in Atlanta with 74 career grabs for 789 yards and four touchdowns after a breakout junior campaign. Singleton burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2023 with 48 catches for 714 yards and six TDs.
To push all the aforementioned upperclassmen, Tech signed Trey Horne of Rabun-Gap Nacoochee and Isiah Canion of Warner Robins. Zion Taylor, a freshman from Norcross who redshirted in 2023, also is waiting in the wings for his opportunity and helping push the presumed starters.
“When you’ve got a group like we have, there’s constant competition and each and every day you see it out there,” McKnight said. “Some guys are putting pressure on themselves because they know that there’s somebody else behind them.”
Haynes on Walter Camp, Doak Walker watch lists
Tech running back Jamal Haynes has been named as one of 50 players on the preseason watch list for the Walter Camp player-of-the-year award, which honors the nation’s best player.
Haynes also is on the watch list for the Doak Walker Award, given to nation’s most outstanding college running back by the SMU Athletic Forum.
Haynes became the Jackets’ first 1,000-yard rusher in five years when he ran for 1,059 yards last season. He capped four 100-yard games with a career-high 128 en route to being named MVP of the Jackets’ 30-17 win over Central Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl,
In addition to his 1,059 rushing yards (the 15th-most in a Tech single season), Haynes also caught 20 passes for 151 yards and returned two kickoffs for 47 yards, totaling 1,257 all-purpose yards and earning all-ACC recognition as both a running back and all-purpose performer.
Haynes has also been named to the Maxwell Award (national player of the year) and Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player) watch lists.
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