Georgia Tech Football Lands At No. 8 In On3 Sports Post Spring ACC Power Rankings
The spring has wrapped up around college football with spring practice and the spring transfer portal now closed. Most of the rosters are set across the country and the countdown is on until the 2024 season.
Now that the spring is over, how does Georgia Tech stack up with the rest of the ACC? On3 Sports college football analyst Jesse Simonton released his ACC post-spring power rankings this week and Georgia Tech landed at No. 8. Here is what he had to say about the Yellow Jackets' spring:
"The spring was all about defensive improvement for a Yellow Jackets unit that ranked last in the ACC in 2023. Former Duke defensive coordinatorimplemented six newcomers from the winter window, and then Ga. Tech added another five defensive transfers in the spring — headlined by USC pass rusher, Cincy safety Jayden Davis and Penn State lineman(all Peach State natives coming home). The Yellow Jackets should have one of the better offenses in the conference with quarterback Haynes King (led ACC in touchdowns), 1,000-yard rusher and their top three receivers all back."
Here is how he saw the rest of the conference:
1. Florida State
2. Clemson
3. Miami
4. NC State
5. Louisville
6. Virginia Tech
7. SMU
8. Georgia Tech
9. North Carolina
10. Syracuse
11. Cal
12. Duke
13. Boston College
14. Wake Forest
15. Pitt
16. Virginia
17. Stanford
I think there is a chance that Georgia Tech can outplay this ranking, maybe by a lot.
Let's talk about why Georgia Tech is going to be one of the nation's most underrated teams this year.
Quarterback Haynes King was one of only two players in the nation with at least 2,700 passing yards, 600 rushing yards, 25 touchdown passes, and five touchdown runs this season (joining LSU’s Jayden Daniels), and one of only six ACC players to achieve those numbers in a regular season since 2000. He led the ACC in touchdown passes and was fourth in passing yards. He is back for another season on The Flats and might be the best quarterback in the conference this year. One reason to buy into the Yellow Jackets is that they might have the best quarterback on the field against many of their opponents.
Jamal Haynes was such a great story last season. He made the change from wide receiver to running back during fall camp and that move paid dividends. Haynes earned all-ACC honors as a running back (third team) and was an honorable mention all-purpose performer. He led Georgia Tech with 1,059 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, and six yards per carry ranked second on the team. Those numbers ranked fifth in the ACC in rushing yards and he was tied for sixth in the conference with seven rushing touchdowns and his 6.0 yards per carry ranked third in the league. Haynes had a strong bowl performance against UCF rushing for a game-high 128 yards on 18 carries. He also had a good outing against the Georgia Bulldogs rushing for 81 yards. Haynes was the second highest-rated player on the Yellow Jackets per Pro Football Focus with a 76.9 score and looks primed for another big season in 2024. I think he is in for a huge season and is not getting the recognition he has earned.
This is going to be one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in the ACC and there are some newcomers that could bolster the group.
Eric Singleton Jr was the highest-rated player in the Yellow Jackets 2023 recruiting class according to 247Sports and he looked like he might be a potential superstar last season.
Singleton Jr. ranked fourth among all freshmen nationally (true or redshirt) in 2023 with 59.5 receiving yards per game and was tied for fourth among true freshmen nationally with six touchdown receptions. His 714 receiving yards and six touchdown catches both ranked among the top 10 overall in the Atlantic Coast Conference, while his six TD receptions were the second-most by a freshman in Georgia Tech history. Could he have an even better season in 2024? I think it is certainly possible and the chemistry between him and King was noticeable last year.
Singleton is not the only dangerous receiver for the Yellow Jackets.
Malik Rutherford was the second-leading receiver on Georgia Tech. He caught 46 passes for 502 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 10. 5 yards per catch. His biggest performance came in Georgia Tech's big win over North Carolina. Rutherford caught six passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns. He was a reliable player and can stretch the field with his speed and is also a player who can get the ball in a variety of ways.
Christian Leary was the fourth-leading receiver for Georgia Tech this season, catching 25 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns, while also returning kickoffs.
Chase Lane had a good start to the year, but injuries cost him some time. I think he could have a really good 2024 season if he stays healthy. Duquesne transfer Abdul Janneh had six catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns. He will once again provide depth for Georgia Tech next year.
Leo Blackburn is one of the most physically impressive players on the Georgia Tech roster at 6'5 220 LBS and if he is able to stay healthy this season, he could add a whole new element to the Yellow Jackets offense.
The offensive line is going to be one of the best in the ACC as well.
In just one season, head coach Brent Key and first-year offensive line coach Geep Wade turned Georgia Tech's offensive line from its biggest weakness to perhaps the best unit on the entire team. Georgia Tech went from one of the worst rushing teams in the ACC to leading the league in rushing. It was a pretty stunning turnaround if you had watched the line in 2022 and the good news for the Yellow Jackets is that the offensive line returns four of the five starters and added an All-Conference transfer this offseason.
The two biggest concerns standing in Georgia Tech's way this season will be the improvement of the defense and the schedule.
Georgia Tech had one of the nations worst defenses in 2023, but they have been working to make improvements to that this offseason. Brent Key overhauled the defensive staff this offseason bringing in former Duke defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci to lead the defense along with Jess Simpson (defensive line), Kyle Pope (outside linebackers/edge), and Cory Peoples (defensive backs). They were active in the transfer portal in both the spring and winter windows, bringing players at every level of the defense. How much can they improve? That question could determine the outcome of the season.
The schedule is always daunting and that is no different in 2024. The Yellow Jackets face 11 teams who made bowl games last season and among those teams are rival Georgia and Notre Dame. While those won't count toward the conference record, they are still going to be very difficult. They open with defending champion Florida State in Ireland and also face NC State, Louisville, Miami, and Virginia Tech. It is one of the nations toughest schedules and it will be a challenge for them each week.
Another thing that they will have to fix is the turnovers on offense. As good of a season as Haynes King had last year, he also led the ACC in interceptions and several of them proved to be costly. If he can cut those down, this offense could see another step forward.
Georgia Tech is by no means a perfect team, but the progress they have made under Key and the amount of talent they return this season are not getting talked about nearly enough. It might not take long for the Yellow Jackets to make their presence felt this season. They have a nationally televised game on ESPN against Florida State in week zero and the entire country will be watching. It could be an opportunity to show why they are one of the nation's most underrated teams going into 2024.
JACKSON CAUDELL
Jackson Caudell covers Georgia Tech Athletics and the Atlanta Hawks for FanNation