Which 2023 Defensive Signee Could Make An Instant Impact Next Season?

Georgia Tech is going to have to replace some good talent on defense

Author:
Jackson Caudell
Updated:
Dec 23, 2022 4:09 PM EST
Original:
Dec 23, 2022

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One of the best storylines of Georgia Tech's season was how much the defense had improved after the firing of Geoff Collins. Georgia Tech played against high-scoring offenses like North Carolina and Georgia late in the season and held up well.

The bad news is that some of the best players on the defense will be going to the NFL. Keion White, Charlie Thomas, and Ace Eley are going to be missing next year and that means that someone is going to have to step up and try to replace the production that those three left behind.

While there are some young players on the roster and Georgia Tech has brought in some transfers to try and make an immediate impact, what about one of the freshman signees?

Ezra Odinjor — Could a Georgia Tech freshman signee make an impact next season?
247Sports

I think any of these guys could with a strong spring or summer, as Georgia Tech is going to need reinforcements at each position. Only two of Georgia Tech's defensive signees is an early enrollee (defensive lineman Shymeik Jones and linebacker Ashton Heflin) so that could make it tougher for a freshman to see the field soon.

Linebacker could be a hard position to crack next year for a freshman. Veteran Trenilyas Tatum is back and will be vying for a spot and the staff just brought in Braelen Oliver (Minnesota) and Andre White Jr (Texas A&M) through the transfer portal. Those are three players with plenty of experience and will take the majority of the snaps.

If there is going to be a position where Georgia Tech could see a young player see immediate time, it is on the defensive line. White is gone and the Yellow Jackets are going to need to not only find another top pass rusher but have guys step up and develop depth.

With that being said, Georgia Tech closed well on the defensive line and added some of their top targets. Jones, Malcolm Pugh, Bryston Dixon, and Ezra Odinjor were all added right before signing day.

Ashton Heflin — What position will Georgia Tech need improvement from in 2023?
247 Sports

The player I was most excited to see join the Yellow Jackets class was Dixon, a former Georgia Southern commit. He is going to play on the interior and that is a place where Georgia Tech needs more depth. D'Quan Douse and Makius Scott became a good duo along the interior, but there was not enough playable depth at the position.

Dixon might not be an early enrollee, but he is going to have a chance to make an impact. K.J. Miles and Horace Lockett are two defensive tackles from the 2022 class that are going to be expected to take another leap, but I don't see a reason why Dixon could not join the rotation sooner rather than later.

Keep an eye on Dixon for next year. He is my pick to be an early impact player for Georgia Tech next fall.