Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: True Freshmen To Watch in 2020

Every February (and now December) college football teams sign a new class of football players to join their program. It’s exciting to dream about what a prospect can become in the future but come September, some of those freshman will redshirt and wait for their opportunity to shine, while a few will be given the chance to make an immediate impact this season. In this series we will take a team by team look at the true freshman who could be given the opportunity to make a name for themselves in 2020. Today we will look at the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets true freshmen to watch in 2020.

We already featured Jahmyr Gibbs in the freshman spotlight so we will not discuss him in this article though we obviously expect him to play in 2020. You can read about him in the freshman spotlight by clicking here.

Jared Ivey – DE

The Yellow Jackets finished last in the ACC with 17 sacks last season. The pass rush has to be better in 2020 and help is on the way, Florida transfer Antonneous Clayton will be eligible to play after sitting out the 2019 season and should be an instant boost at one of the defensive end spots. On the other side, Kelton Dawson has entered the transfer portal leaving Antwan Owens as the likely starter. There are very few players who have produced beyond those two. Jaquan Henderson, Sylvain Yondjouen, Cutis Ryans and Justice Dingle all got playing time but did not have a major impact in 2019. The Yellow Jackets need to improve their pass rush and depth at defensive end so the opportunity is their for a young player to step up and earn immediate playing time.

Jared Ivey racked up 20 sacks in his senior season at North Gwinnett High School in Georgia. Ivey is a tall, athletic defensive end with a quick first step and bend around the edge to get to the quarterback. He has good speed, long arms and the frame to add good weight. Physically, Ivey has all the tools to be a great pass rusher but needs to continue to get stronger. He will need to learn to use his hands and length better, and add a variety of pass rush moves to unlock his full potential. Ivey can be an effective pass rusher this fall, and should get the chance to play, at least on passing downs where he can get after the quarterback. With experience he will only get better and we expect Ivey to collect good experience in 2020.

Miles Brooks – CB

Georgia Tech has good talent returning in the secondary at both corner and safety but there is more depth at safety than at corner. Tre Swilling and Zamari Walton both played a lot in 2019 and will be the likely starters at cornerback in 2020. Behind them Myles Sims and Jaylon King got playing time in 2019 but there is an opportunity for an incoming freshman to crack the rotation and provide good depth. With the spread offenses becoming more prominent and teams across the country emphasizing tempo on offense the need for quality depth in the secondary is at a premium. Brooks has the skill set to break into the rotation and be a contributor for the Yellow Jackets defense.

Brooks was a star at Jacksonville, FL powerhouse Trinity Christian Academy. He has a good combination of size and speed for the position which allows him to excel on the outside. Brooks is physical at the line of scrimmage, runs well and has the length to make plays on the ball. He is a willing tackler and shows adequate hip flexibility to be a college corner. He fits the mold teams are looking for at corner and has all the physical tools to succeed. Brooks will have the opportunity to earn a spot in the two deep and get valuable experience as a true freshman. With his athletic ability, we expect he will become a quality player who gets more playing time over the course of the season and provides quality depth when called upon.

Jordan Williams – OT

The Yellow Jackets return a good amount of experience on the offensive line and brought in two graduate transfers; tackle Devin Cochran and guard Ryan Johnson. It’s important to note, Georgia Tech is in the second year of transitioning from a triple option offense to a more diverse offense. The offensive lineman needed for the two schemes are very different. Though there are a lot of players with experience there are not many true tackles on the roster. The Yellow Jackets need to develop good depth at the tackle spots for this season, and to continue to grow in the future. A player like Jordan Williams has a good chance to crack the rotation as a true tackle in 2020.

Williams played his high school football at Gainesville High School in Georgia. He has good size and length on the offensive line and is built like a tackle should be. Williams has the frame to get stronger without losing much flexibility or quickness. He has good feet and should develop into a good pass blocker. Williams enrolled early, and despite the cancellation of spring practice was able to go through winter workouts with the team and get a head start on his college career. Williams should see playing time in a reserve role for Georgia Tech, and should continue to progress in that role, should depth at tackle be needed he could develop into a viable option this year.

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