A panel of AJC voters chose these players as the top 10 Georgia Tech football players of the 1990s. The players are listed alphabetically.
Keith Brooking
A Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame inductee in 2007, Brooking became one of the best linebackers in Tech history after graduating from East Coweta High School. His 467 career tackles remains a program record as does his 17 solo-tackle performance against Clemson in 1996.
Brooking, also a member of the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, was the 12th overall pick of the 1998 NFL draft and would go on to play 11 of his professional seasons with the Falcons. Brooking made five Pro Bowls and played in the 1999 Super Bowl.
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Willie Clay
Clay was born in Pittsburgh and went to high school in Wheeling, West Virginia, before becoming a star safety for the Yellow Jackets. He made a program-record 16 interceptions in his career – nine of which came during the 1991 season – and made 48 punt returns in ‘91 as well. A 63-yard punt return against Stanford in the Aloha Bowl is also a Tech record.
An All-American and two-time all-ACC selection, Clay would play eight years in the NFL and reach the 1999 Super Bowl with the New England Patriots. Clay is a member of the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame.
Marco Coleman
Coleman was a two-time All-American and is a member of the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame. The linebacker spent 14 seasons in the NFL after he was selected 12th overall by the Miami Dolphins in 1992. He made the Pro Bowl in 2000.
Coleman came to Atlanta from Dayton, Ohio, and at Tech made 27.5 career sacks and 50 tackles for loss in three seasons before turning professional. During Tech’s national title season of 1990, Coleman made 13 sacks.
Mike Powell
Mike Powell
Joe Hamilton
One of the greatest Tech players in program history, at any position, Hamilton started at quarterback for the Jackets from 1996-99 and racked up 10,640 yards of total offense. He won the Davey O’Brien award and finished second in Heisman Trophy voting in 1999.
Hamilton, a member of the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame, set ACC career records for total offense, touchdown passes and total touchdowns and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014. He was named an All-American and the ACC player of the year in 1999, was the Gator Bowl MVP in 1999 and 2000 and the Carquest Bowl MVP in 1997.
Shawn Jones
Jones led Tech to the 1990 national championship after a standout career at Thomasville High School. He was a part of 35 wins at Tech, totaled 9,296 yards of total offense and accounted for 70 touchdowns.
The 1991 Citrus Bowl MVP, Jones is a member of the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame and Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. His 8,441 career passing yards is second only to Joe Hamilton and his 652 career completions is second only to Reggie Ball.
Jones was an all-ACC selection in 1991 and the ACC rookie of the year in 1989.
AJC file photo by Marlene Karas
AJC file photo by Marlene Karas
Craig Page
Page was a standout at Jupiter High School in Florida and was an all-state performer as a defensive tackle. He started his career at that position at Louisville, but then transferred to Tech in 1995. A year later he moved to center on the offensive line and by his senior season was an All-American and named the top blocker in the ACC.
A Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Famer, Page helped Tech top rival Georgia 21-19 in Athens in 1998.
Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech
Coleman Rudolph
Rudolph, a 2002 inductee into the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame, hailed from Valdosta and became an All-American in 1992 after an all-ACC season in 1992. A defensive tackle whose father, Jack Rudolph, also played at Tech, Rudolph racked up 28.5 sacks (13 in 1991) and 220 tackles (52 for a loss).
In 1986, Rudolph was part of Valdosta High School’s state and national championship team. He would help the Jackets win a national title in 1990 by recording 66 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
Scott Sisson
Sisson’s game-winning field goal to beat No. 1-ranked Virginia in 1990 made him an all-time Tech hero. Originally from New Orleans who graduated from Marietta High School, Sisson had a pretty darn good career outside of that historic moment, too.
A member of the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame, Sisson made 70 consecutive extra points during his time at Tech, attempted a program-record 88 kicks, scored 299 points and made 60 field goals. He became an All-American and all-ACC selection in 1992.
Frank Niemeir / AJC
Frank Niemeir / AJC
Ken Swilling
An All-American during Tech’s national title run in 1990, Swilling made 13 interceptions – returning two for touchdowns – during his Tech career from 1988-91. In 1989 he became the first ACC player to return a two-point conversion try for a score.
From Toccoa, Swilling also was an All-American in 1989 and finished his career with 267 tackles from his safety position. His three interceptions against Boston College in 1989 tied a Tech single-game record, as did his seven tackles for loss against North Carolina State that year.
ArLuther Lee
ArLuther Lee
Rodney Williams
A graduate of Southwest DeKalb High School, finished his career with a 41.42 punting average which now ranks third all-time at Tech. His average of 45.64 yards per punt in the 1997 season is the second-best mark in program history.
Williams was twice an all-ACC selection and a seventh-round draft pick in 1999 and spent eight years in the NFL. His 90-yard punt for the New York Giants in 2001 set a franchise record. Williams is a member of the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame.
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