Georgia Tech’s 23 committed prospects can sign their letters of intent next Wednesday when the early signing period begins. It looks like coach Geoff Collins will bring in an impressive group.
As of Friday morning , the class ranked 22nd nationally (247 Sports Composite) and fourth in the ACC behind Clemson, Miami and North Carolina.
In former coach Paul Johnson’s tenure, the national ranking for his classes ranged from 41st to 70th, mostly staying in the 40’s.
The commitment of North Gwinnett defensive end Jared Ivey on Wednesday gave Tech five four-star prospects, with the potential for more to be added as coaches continue to recruit.
Four more things to know about Tech’s recruiting for the 2020 signing class.
1. Dalton High running back Jahmyr Gibbs, the four-star running back who committed to Tech in May, is expected to push back his decision and sign in February. Gibbs reportedly has an official visit to Alabama this weekend, with additional visits to Ohio State, Florida and Tech lined up for January.
Interest in Gibbs mushroomed in his senior season, as he drew offers from the likes of Alabama and Ohio State with his standout play. In 11 games, Gibbs rushed for 2,554 yards and 40 touchdowns on 233 carries.
Gibbs was rated the No. 631 player in the country in May but is now No. 170, as well as the No. 9 running back in the country.
Were Tech able to hold onto Gibbs’ commitment, it would be a significant boost to the class and confirmation of the recruiting prowess of Collins and his staff.
2. Tech is still in the mix with four-star defensive end Jayson Jones, who is committed to Alabama. Jones, from Calera, Ala., had Collins, offensive-line coach Brent Key and defensive-line coach Larry Knight in for an in-home visit Thursday night.
“He’s still making sure that he gives everyone an opportunity to showcase what they have and what they have available to him,” Leonard Stephens, Jones’ trainer, told the AJC.
Jones, who committed to Alabama since July 2018, has shown an interest in Tech since the spring, when Key (a former Alabama assistant) invited him to visit campus. He made an official visit in June. He is expected to sign next week. Oregon appears to be another possibility for Jones.
“He likes the energy, he likes the energy from the coaching staff, he likes what’s going on with what they’re trying to build,” Leonard said.
3. In addition to Jones, Tech coaches continue to push to add more prospects to the class. A significant target is four-star quarterback Jeff Sims of Jacksonville, Fla. Sims had been committed to FSU since February of this year, but withdrew his commitment Wednesday, which followed the school's hire of Memphis coach Mike Norvell to replace Willie Taggart. Tech is pursuing Sims, who took an official visit to Maryland last weekend.
Another is Creekside High linebacker Khatavian Franks, who had previously been committed to Louisville but withdrew his commitment in late November. Franks, a three-star prospect and a teammate of Tech commit Tyson Meiguez, also has offers from Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh and Duke, among others. Franks is expected to make his official visit to Tech this weekend.
Stephenson High safety Javier Morton is a four-star prospect who dropped his commitment to Alabama in August. Morton tweeted a photo this week of an in-home visit from Collins, Knight, defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker and cornerbacks coach Jeff Popovich. Morton may wait until the February signing period to sign.
4. Besides Franks, Tech was expecting a number of prospects to make their official visits this weekend, mostly players who have already committed to play for the Yellow Jackets. They include wide receiver Avery Boyd from Tallahassee, Fla., Lee County High offensive tackle Wing Green, Dutchtown High wide receiver Nate McCollum, offensive tackle Michael Rankins from Ruskin, Fla., guard Ryan Spiers from Biloxi, Miss., and linebacker Khaya Wright of Miami.
