Georgia Tech Is Doing A Nice Job Of Improving The Wide Receiver Position This Offseason

Georgia Tech has improved the wide receiver room this offseason

Author:
Jackson Caudell
Updated:
Jan 8, 2023 6:21 PM EST
Original:
Jan 8, 2023

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Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Georgia Tech had one of the weakest wide receiver rooms in the country last season. For the 2022 season, Yellow Jackets receivers only caught nine touchdowns, which is just not going to get it done on that side of the ball.

Not only that, the team's leading receiver, Nate McCollum, entered the transfer portal after the season and before Brent Key was hired as the head coach. Malachi Carter and EJ Jenkins were out of eligibility and heading to the NFL and young receiver Ryan King was entering the transfer portal as well. There was no doubt that the Yellow Jackets were in need of an upgrade at the position entering spring football and the 2023 season.

I think Key has upgraded the talent from last year already.

New Georgia Tech wide receiver Christian Leary is a former top-100 recruit
Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

The first addition of the offseason at wide receiver was former Texas A&M wide receiver, Chase Lane. Lane played for three seasons in College Station and for his career, the 6'0 195 LBS wide receiver totaled 48 catches for 617 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 12.9 yards per catch. Lane is a former three-star commit in the class of 2019.

After Lane committed and signed with Georgia Tech during the early signing period, Key got three talented high schoolers to sign early with the rest of the 2023 class. Bryce Dopson (Brookwood, GA), Zion Taylor (Norcross, GA), and Eric Singleton (Alexander, GA). Dopson and Singleton bring a speed element to the Georgia Tech offense and Taylor can go up and make tough catches and has great hands. Is it tough for true freshmen to get on the field at the power five level? Sure, but these three guys are talented and sooner or later, will see the field.

After adding those four receivers during the early signing period, Key made the hire of Josh Crawford as the new wide receivers coach official. Crawford was coming from Western Kentucky, where he was the co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach. Crawford has also spent plenty of time as a high school coach in the state of Georgia and that is going to be crucial in recruiting and getting this roster back to competing in the ACC.

More help was on the way this weekend. Duquesne transfer Abdul Janneh and Alabama transfer and UCF commit Christian Leary was on visits to Atlanta this weekend and Key was hoping to land both players.

It turns out he did.

Janneh is a 6'3 180 LBS wide receiver that has received plenty of interest from other schools since entering the transfer portal. Janneh has received offers from NC State, Washington State, Virginia Tech, Marshall, App State, Georgia State, Charlotte, Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina, Old Dominion, Toledo, and Utah State.

Janneh is projected to be an outside receiver with his size and ball skills and I think that is the thing that stands out the most when watching him play. Last season, he caught 43 passes for 579 yards and was very good at catching the ball in traffic and winning his matchups.

Leary is a former top 100 recruit from the class of 2021 and signed with Alabama. During his two seasons with the Crimson Tide, Leary only tallied three catches for 10 yards, but he still has potential. The 5'10 175 LBS wide receiver should compete for playing time immediately.

New Georgia Tech wide receiver Chase Lane should challenge for playing time immediately
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

I think Lane and Janneh are going to be outside receivers, while Leary will most likely work out of the slot, as well as help in the return game.

So what do these additions mean for the receivers still on the roster for Georgia Tech?

While I think all three transfers are going to have a great shot at playing immediately, I won't dismiss guys like Leo Blackburn and Malik Rutherford seeing plenty of snaps. Blackburn showed glimpses of his talent in the victory over Duke and has been battling injuries during his career. Rutherford is a speedy playmaker in the slot and I think both he and Leary are going to be getting snaps at both kick returner and punt returner next season.

Guys like Avery Boyd, James Blackstrain, Juju Lewis, and D. J Moore are going to be competing for time this season, and spring football is going to be important for all of them to see where they stand on the depth chart.

While I do believe these are good additions and the talent level at the position has been raised, these players still have to produce on the field. Lane has talent and is hoping to get back to the player he was during the 2020 season. Leary is a former top-100 recruit, but could not get on the field at Alabama and has three career catches in two seasons and is still unproven. Janneh put up good numbers at Duquesne, but this is going to be a big step up in competition.

The players still have to go out and do it on the field in 2023, but give credit to Key, Crawford, and the rest of the Georgia Tech staff for getting the wide receiver position upgraded for next season.