On the first day of the regular signing period – a busy day when numerous high-school seniors nationwide sign their letters of intent to make their college choices official – there was no news from Georgia Tech. That’s because coach Geoff Collins completed his team’s signings in December in the early signing period, leaving no announcements to be made Wednesday.
Tech added 16 high-school seniors and eight transfers in the December signing period. The class was ranked 47th in FBS and 11th in the ACC by 247Sports Composite, although the ranking does not include transfers. Since the early signing period for football was instituted in 2017, most high-school prospects have chosen to sign then, as their decisions have already been solidified. This year’s recruiting cycle tilted even more toward the first signing date.
One likely reason was that prospects could not take official visits because of the NCAA’s ban on in-person recruiting because of the pandemic. The opportunity to take visits in December and January to help inform decisions has been a common reason for delaying signing from December to February. With that possibility removed, there was less reason to continue deliberating.
Last year, for instance, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who committed to Tech in May 2019, didn’t sign in December in order to take additional visits before ultimately signing with Tech in February.
Georgia Tech 2021 signees
Name, Pos., Ht., Wt., Hometown
December signees (21)
Zeek Biggers, DL, 6-6, 325, Salisbury, N.C.
Leo Blackburn, WR, 6-5, 220, Atlanta
James BlackStain, WR, 6-2, 190, Cocoa, Fla.
Sirad Bryant, DB, 6-2, 200, Cordele
Grey Carroll, DL, 6-3, 260, Alcoa, Tenn.
Noah Collins, DL, 6-4, 225, Loganville
Kaleb Edwards, DB, 6-0, 200, Dacula
Weston Franklin, OL, 6-4, 310, Jesup
Kevin Harris, DL, 6-4, 240, Loganville
Jamal Haynes, WR, 5-9, 175, Loganville
Jakiah Leftwich, OL, 6-6, 310, Atlanta
Chayden Peery, QB, 6-3, 215, Castaic, Calif.
Nick Pendley, OL, 6-4, 310, Canton
Ben Postma, TE, 6-4, 220, Cypress, Texas
Josh Robinson, DL, 6-4, 235, Douglasville
Malik Rutherford, WR, 5-9, 165, Miami
Makius Scott, DL, 6-4, 300, Gainesville
David Shanahan, P, 6-2, 190, Castleisland, Ireland
Trenilyas Tatum, LB, 6-2, 215, Riverdale
Kenyatta Watson, DB, 6-1, 190, Loganville
Keion White, DL, 6-4, 267, Garner, N.C.
January enrollees (3)
Devin Cochran, OL, 6-7, 320, Norcross
Ayinde Eley, LB, 6-3, 240, Olney, Md.
Kyric McGowan, WR, 5-11, 205, Dalton
Note: Cochran (Vanderbilt), Eley (Maryland), Harris (Alabama), McGowan (Northwestern), Pendley (Mississippi State), Scott (South Carolina), Watson (Texas) and White (Old Dominion) are transfers.
