Georgia Tech’s busy few weeks of recruiting will continue over the remainder of the week, including Saturday when the Yellow Jackets host several visitors during its second spring scrimmage at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
A steady flow of prospects, mostly rising high school seniors and juniors, have already made their way to Tech spring practices over the past few weeks. Tech’s scrimmage Saturday, and its annual spring game April 12, are two more prime opportunities for third-year coach Brent Key and his staff to showcase what the Tech program is all about.
“The core message stays the same,” Key said on his pitch to prospects. “But yeah, I think every year you go through this, you become a little more, I won’t say better at it, but you’re a little more aware of things you’re saying and how you’re saying it and how you’re constructing it and the information you’re getting and (how) to construct those conversations.
“And it’s a real positive thing going on right now. When we started this thing two and a half years ago, it was no frills, all sweat and work. And all of a sudden, now, it’s a cool place. And I guess it’s come full circle. I guess hard work is cool again.”
Tech has three commitments on the board for the 2026 class, a modest total compared with its ACC peers at this juncture. All three prospects are defensive backs, led by four-star recruit Jaedyn Terry at Manchester High School.
Three-star recruits Traeviss Stevenson (Brooks County) and Ladarrious Crumity (Madison, Fla.) also are part of a group of players who verbally agreed to play for Tech’s new defensive coordinator Blake Gideon.
“I try to recruit guys like they’re already on the team, like I’m already their coach. I think that answers a lot of questions for us,” Gideon said in March. “Can they take it? Are they gonna make it here? And that answers questions in their mind, and for their families. Can I deal with this guy, this coach Gideon guy? Is he a jerk all the time? Or is he just having a bad day? Can I handle this every day?
“We’re big on honesty. I want these guys to know exactly what they’re getting into as much as we can show ‘em without them coming in and out of that locker room every day. It’s worked out well for me in the past couple places I’ve been.”
Tech is awaiting its first offensive player to join the 2026 Jackets, and an intriguing position to watch is quarterback.
Senior Haynes King will be out of eligibility after the 2025 season, and Aaron Philo and Graham Knowles are redshirt freshmen. Grady Adamson, from Edmond, Oklahoma, signed with Tech as part of the 2025 class and is expected to join the program this summer. Walk-on Ben Guthrie (Alpharetta High School) is the only other quarterback on Tech’s spring roster.
Tech has reportedly offered a scholarship to 13 quarterbacks in the 2026 class, including Stephen Cannon of Benedictine Military School in Savannah.
“My process in terms of evaluating the quarterbacks is a little bit different than maybe some guys around the country,” Tech quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke said Tuesday. “I’m gonna spend a lot more time peeling back the onion and finding out what they’re like inside. I usually, typically, evaluate between 100-150 guys in each class. That gets shrunk down to probably 50, and then I’ll continue to evaluate those guys.
“I know the landscape of college football doesn’t necessarily lend itself to relationships these days. I’m still a relationships guy, and I want to build a good relationship. I want those guys to understand I care about ‘em, that I’m here for them, and I truly believe that if they know that I care about you, they’re gonna work harder for you.”
Tech is looking to sustain its recruiting momentum after its 2025 recruiting class finished ranked third, according to the 247Sports Composite, in the ACC and 21st nationally.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
