Georgia Tech Football 2025 Offseason Outlook: Defensive End

Georgia Tech's defensive end position underwent some huge changes this offseason and will look vastly different. The Yellow Jackets had a guy hit the portal and a lot of their pieces ran out of eligibility. They did a good job of attacking this position and bringing in three transfers who they can plug and play that fit their system nicely. The Yellow Jackets also did a great job of recruiting at the defensive end position with young guys who could make an impact in year one. It will just depend on how soon they can get up to speed with the playbook and how they will look in the spring.

Spring practice is upon us with less than two weeks before the first practice. It is a good time to take a look at the position to see who will be returning and looking to make early contributions for Georgia Tech.

Who is Returning?

Georgia Tech will return a few players on the roster at the defensive line spot and they are young with little experience. Jordan Boyd and Amontrae Bradford are the lone returners for the Yellow Jackets.

Boyd rarely saw the field in 2024 with so many upperclassmen and seniors returning for their final year. He has a lot of upside and will be a big part of the Yellow Jackets defensive front moving forward. He finished with six tackles this past season. In high school, he was rated as a three-star prospect and the No. 8 player in South Carolina according to Rivals.

Bradford was another young player that was behind a heavy rotation. His recruitment was one of the biggest stories in the 2023 recruiting cycle. The Yellow Jackets flipped him from Colorado and convinced Bradford to stay home and be a part of something special. He certainly has a lot of upside and can be a difference-maker for Georgia Tech. Will he take a step forward in 2025?

Who is Departing?

A lot of departures for Georgia Tech at the defensive end with several key contributors. This was a much-improved unit from 2023 and the Yellow Jackets had an impact transfer who made several plays during critical moments in high-stakes games last year.

Romello Height was a key defender last season for the Yellow Jackets and got better as the season wore on. Some could argue he was one of the best defenders last year along with Jordan van den Berg. He was instrumental in helping Georgia Tech pull off one of the biggest upsets of the season by knocking off then-No. 4 Miami. He forced a fumble late in the game to put the Yellow Jackets in prime position to win and pull off the upset. Height finished with 34 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception, but transferred to Texas Tech this offseason.

Sylvain Yondjouen was another impact player for the Yellow Jackets this past season. He finished with 24 tackles and 2.5 sacks. It is crazy to believe that he led the team in pass deflections in 2024 but he did with five. When he didn’t get to the quarterback, he would jump and get his hands up to get into the sight of the quarterback. The stats don’t tell the full story of his impact on the Yellow Jackets. Yondjouen was also a great run defender and did a phenomenal job setting the edge in the run game and helping limit explosive plays.

Kevin Harris was a rotational piece for the Yellow Jackets and added much-needed depth to the team. He finished with 13 tackles and a sack. It was his final season with the Yellow Jackets before graduating. He finished his Georgia Tech career with 48 tackles and two sacks.

Josh Robinson finished with 20 tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection and had a career year with the Yellow Jackets posting career-highs in every category. He made his impact in rush defense and was a stout run defender. Robinson finished his Yellow Jackets career with 37 tackles, two pass deflections, and a sack.

Who is Coming In?

Georgia Tech brought in UTSA's Ronald Triplette, Mercer's Brayden Manley, and Clemson's AJ Hoffler from the transfer portal. In terms of high school recruits, Georgia Tech is bringing in Grayson EDGE Andre Fuller who won a state championship this season with powerhouse Grayson. Fuller finished with 76 tackles, 31 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks. The Yellow Jackets also added Spruce Creek Derry Norris who is listed as a defensive lineman but could play some defensive end for Georgia Tech this year. Norris finished with 102 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks. Norris is another player with high-end potential and could find himself in the rotation early at Georgia Tech.

Triplette comes over from UTSA and is coming off a career year with the Roadrunners.

He finished with 23 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles, and a pass deflection. One of his best games this season came against Tulsa where he finished with four tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble wreaking havoc on defense. In his four seasons with the Roadrunners, he finished with 57 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, three pass breakups, and two forced fumbles.

Manley probably has the most upside of any player coming into this class. He had a great year with the Bears in 2024. Manley finished with 38 tackles, 9.5 sacks, two fumble recovers, and a forced fumble. He was named South Conference Defensive Player of the Year and NCAA Division 1 FCS second-team all-American as a sophomore. He has the potential to be an instant impact player for the Yellow Jackets and his versatile pass-rushing skillset.

Hoffler is one of many players the Yellow Jackets convinced to come back home and play for the Yellow Jackets. Hoffler starred at Woodward Academy and was a four-star prospect coming out of high school. He finished his career at Clemson with 15 tackles and a pass deflection. He was behind a talented defensive line group at Clemson that included Stephiylan Green and Peter Woods. He now comes back home and will have a chance to play and potentially see the field more for the Yellow Jackets.

What is the Biggest Question Mark Heading Into Spring?

The defensive line especially the edge rushers is probably the biggest question mark for the Yellow Jackets this season, especially after the departures this offseason. Last year the Yellow Jackets were a top-30 rush defense unit and were really good at slowing down the run. Georgia Tech struggled, however, getting pressure on the quarterback which will be a strong point of emphasis this season. Georgia Tech finished with just 18 sacks last season and no player reached over five sacks individually in 2024. To put it frankly, Georgia Tech needs some game-wreckers. Jordan van den Berg and Romello Height both flashed some of this ability but it wasn’t consistent. The biggest question is who will emerge on the defensive line and be a game wrecker, or will it be multiple guys who help contribute to the Yellow Jackets? This unit will be instrumental in helping the Yellow Jackets achieve their goal of getting to the College Football Playoff.

Who is Returning?

Who is Departing?

Who is Coming In?

What is the Biggest Question Mark Heading Into Spring?

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