Georgia Tech has received the commitment of Maryland linebacker Ayinde Eley, who will arrive as a grad transfer. With 11 starts and 111 career tackles to his credit, Eley looks like he can compete for a starting job in 2021. He is expected to arrive in January, meaning he can take part in spring practice.
Eley, from Silver Spring, Md., announced his decision to enter the transfer portal last Friday and made public his commitment to Tech on Monday. At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, he will be a size upgrade for defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker. His two starting linebackers for this season, David Curry and Quez Jackson, were listed at 6-2, 230 and 6-1, 225, respectively. Eley will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Eley started nine games in 2019, his sophomore season, finishing with 79 tackles (second on the team) with four tackles for loss and five pass breakups. He earned honorable mention on the coaches All-Big Ten team. Eley played in three of the Terrapins’ five games this season, starting one. He had 19 tackles, one for loss.
The addition of Eley continues coach Geoff Collins’ use of the transfer market to add players who figure to be able to start or at least contribute immediately, a means by which tight end Tyler Davis, defensive end Antonneous Clayton and offensive linemen Ryan Johnson and Jared Southers became Yellow Jackets and earned spots in the starting lineup. This year’s class of transfers includes two other players who have been starters at the FBS level – offensive tackle Devin Cochran, coming as a grad transfer from Vanderbilt, and defensive end Keion White, who tied for 10th in FBS in 2019 in tackles for loss.
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