Georgia Tech released its initial “Above the Line” chart in advance of Saturday’s season opener at Florida State. Geoff Collins' version of a depth chart – it eschews naming starters and instead names all players deemed ready to contribute in games – is notable in its relative brevity.
The list includes 63 players, compared with 67 for last season’s opener at Clemson. There are also five members of the 2020 signing class, which to some extent reflects the volume of experience on the roster.
“We’re not having to force them into the ATL list right now,” Collins said Tuesday on a videoconference with media.
Tech lists the players by position group (in order of jersey number):
Offensive line
Total: 10.
Jordan Williams, Kenny Cooper, Mikey Minihan, Michael Maye, Austin Smith, Ryan Johnson, Charlie Clark, Zach Quinney, Jack DeFoor, William Lay
No surprises here. The starting five, from left tackle to right tackle, is expected to be Quinney, DeFoor, Minihan, Johnson and Williams, who will be starting as a freshman in his first college game.
“I don’t think he’s going to be overmatched physically,” offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude said of Williams. “He’s strong and can move his feet. It’s going to be, you know, can he sustain and be involved in trying to play 75 plays over the course of the game?”
Tight end
Total: 3
Dylan Leonard, Dylan Deveney, Billy Ward.
Two sophomores in Leonard and Deveney and an incoming freshman in Ward make for a trio that’s not particularly experienced, although Deveney and Leonard both played all 12 games last season. Patenaude particularly likes Ward’s blocking ability and may give him a smaller set of plays that he can trust the freshman to run.
Wide receiver
Total: 7
Jalen Camp, Ahmarean Brown, Marquez Ezzard, Adonicas Sanders, Malachi Carter, Pejé Harris, Josh Blancato
During the preseason, Patenaude mentioned a potential rotation of Camp, Brown, Ezzard, Carter, Sanders and Harris. Ezzard, described by Carter as “a freak athlete,” will bear watching in his first game with the Jackets after transferring from Miami and sitting out last season. Freshmen Nate McCollum, Avery Boyd and Ryan King will have to keep developing to make the chart.
Quarterback
Total: 4
James Graham, Jeff Sims, Jordan Yates, Tucker Gleason
Patenaude said the team will not name its starter before the game. He further said that his plan is for the starter to take all the snaps against Florida State, although there’ll be a plan for the backup to come in if necessary.
“I’m really happy with their development, and I’m really excited to see this dude (the starter) play on Saturday,” Patenaude said. “And I think you guys will be excited, too.”
Running back
Total: 4
Jahmyr Gibbs, Jamious Griffin, Jordan Mason, Dontae Smith
Perhaps the most talented position group on the team. Patenaude, who said he wouldn’t trade his top three (Mason, Griffin and Gibbs) for any in the country, could be challenged to find snaps for all three, not to mention Smith, who has made an impression in the preseason.
Defensive end
Total: 6
Antonneous Clayton, Chico Bennett, Sylvain Yondjouen, Jordan Domineck, Justice Dingle, Curtis Ryans
A lot of eyes will be on Clayton, making his Tech debut after transferring from Florida before last season. Bennett returns after a season-ending injury slowed what had been a promising freshman season. It’ll be interesting to see how Domineck and Ryans in particular have improved after strong finishes to their freshman seasons.
Defensive tackle
Total: 5
Djimon Brooks, Ja’Quon Griffin, T.K. Chimedza, Mike Lockhart, Jahaziel Lee
Defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker mentioned Tuesday a rotation of Brooks, Chimedza and Griffin, and extolled Griffin’s play in the preseason. While Griffin doesn’t have the height and size that Collins emphasizes in evaluation of prospects, “he uses (his lack of height) to his advantage by playing with a low pad level, using his power, using his strength, using his leverage, and he has played really consistent football,” Thacker said. “I could not be more pleased with Ja’Quon Griffin.” Chris Martin, who played in 10 games and started six, did not make the initial list.
Linebacker
Total: 4
Jerry Howard, David Curry, Demetrius Knight, Quez Jackson
Howard made the chart after switching in the spring from running back, a position he played throughout his high-school and college careers, a remarkable accomplishment. A two-year starter, Curry will log a lot of snaps, with Knight and Jackson splitting time. Jackson’s ability to play both the “mike” and “will” linebacker (middle and weakside) positions “is a lot to ask of him, but he’s done a great job in execution of assignment and proved himself in the latter part of last season,” Thacker said. Freshman Tyson Meiguez could break through here before too long.
Safety
Total: 5
Juanyeh Thomas, Tariq Carpenter, Avery Showell, Jaylon King, Derrik Allen
Thomas and Carpenter are back as returning starters. Both are cornerstones of the team and more will be expected. Carpenter has bulked up to 240 pounds, big for a safety, but “he looks like he can naturally carry that weight and still go through the course of a game and play at elite level,” Thacker said. Allen, a Lassiter High grad who transferred last summer from Notre Dame, is another newcomer who could make an impact. Thomas described him as “probably one of the most talented people I’ve ever seen.”
Cornerback
Total: 5
Tre Swilling, Tobias Oliver, Myles Sims, Zamari Walton, Kenan Johnson
Thacker has returning starters here also in Swilling and Walton. Attention will be on Oliver, who switched to the position from wide receiver in the spring and will be playing defense for the first time since his youth football days. Redshirt freshman Jordan Huff, who was on the ATL chart throughout last season, did not make the list for the season opener, nor did incoming freshmen Miles Brooks and Jalen Huff (Jordan’s cousin), a testament to the depth at the position.
Nickel
Total: 4
Jaytlin Askew, Kaleb Oliver, Charlie Thomas, Wesley Walker
Oliver, who started six games last season, is the expected starter. Collins foresees a prominent role for Askew on special teams. Thomas, who was second on the team in tackles last season at linebacker and also led the team in tackles for loss with 9.5, brings his playmaking ability to the nickel. Oliver said that he is seeing “how the defense actually is supposed to be fit in, with all the right gaps and all the coverage responsibilities.”
Place-kicker
Total: 3
Austin Kent, Gavin Stewart, Jude Kelley
These three made it to the top of a six-player competition. Kent is a transfer from UCLA who punted as a freshman in 2016. He was a kicker/punter in high school in Charlotte, N.C. Stewart and Kelley are freshman walk-ons. Kelley is from Allatoona High and Stewart is from Benedictine in Savannah and is the younger brother of former Tech receiver Brad Stewart.
Punter
Total: 2
Pressley Harvin, Austin Kent
Harvin will seek to regain the form he showed in 2018, when he earned All-ACC status. He said earlier in the preseason that taking 80 punts last season (most in FBS) underscored for him the importance of consistency, a lesson he hopes to bring into 2020. He said he is counting on “better coverages, we have better tackles and me putting the ball in the place where my players can make plays.”
Long snapper
Total: 2
Jack Coco, Cade Long
Both have been dependable in their roles, Coco on field goals and point-after tries and Long with punts. Coco lost about 35 pounds to drop to 240 pounds in an effort to also play tight end.
Kickoff return
Total: 4
Juanyeh Thomas, Ahmarean Brown, Tobias Oliver, Jahmyr Gibbs
Not surprisingly, these are four of the fastest and quickest players on the team, and Thomas and Oliver in particular have shown their kickoff returning proficiency. Putting Gibbs on kick return would be a way to get him extra chances with the ball.
Punt return
Total: 3
Ahmarean Brown, Marquez Ezzard, Josh Blancato
Brown returned a team-high 10 punts for 34 yards last season, including a 23-yarder, the longest of Tech’s season. Blancato returned three punts for 16 yards. Ezzard has a make-you-miss shiftiness that could make him dangerous in this role.
