Georgia Tech Lands Colorado Transfer Defensive Tackle Transfer Tawfiq Thomas

Tawfiq Thomas is going to be another addition to the Georgia Tech defensive line for next season

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas (95) during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Defensive line has been one of the top priorities for Georgia Tech during this transfer portal cycle and they have landed another experienced player this afternoon.

The latest addition to the Georgia Tech defensive line is Colorado transfer Tawfiq Thomas. Thomas was only able to play in four games last season before suffering an injury, but he was having a solid season for the Buffaloes before he went down.

Georgia Tech has signed Colorado defensive line transfer Tawfiq Thomas, @chris_hummer and I have learned.

Had 12 tackles in four games this before a season-ending injury. pic.twitter.com/dWf8GNW4KJ

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 9, 2026

In the four games that he played, Thomas (6'4 300 LBS) totaled 12 tackles. On PFF, Thomas finished with a very solid 81.4 overall grade, including a 74,7 grade in run defense and an 81.2 overall pass rushing grade. During the 2024 season, Thomas totaled 18 tackles and one sack. Per PFF, Thomas finished with a 55.5 overall grade in 233 snaps. He is originally a Louisville transfer.

New Look Defensive Line

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas (95) during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech is losing standout DT Jordan van den Berg, along with some other veteran pieces up front and the Yellow Jackets also needed to upgrade the talent at this spot. Thomas is going to be one piece of the puzzle, but UConn transfer Vincent Carroll-Jackson, and Rutgers transfer Jordan Walker are going to try and make the Yellow Jackets more formidable on that side of the ball.

Georgia Tech is reportedly also going to host Cincinnati edge Tim Griffin. Our own Najeh Wilkins broke down what Griffin could bring to the Yellow Jackets front four:

"Griffin didn’t play a lot in his freshman season with the Bearcats and had more of a reserve role. However, when he was in, he did a good job in run defense and containing his gaps. 

An area where he graded fairly well this season was tackling, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). Griffin finished with a 73.2 tackling grade on 24 snaps. Most of his snaps came on run defense, with 19 of the 24 coming to stop the run. This is a good sign for Georgia Tech because they struggled mightily with stopping the run a year ago. Teams gashed them consistently on the run, and a lot of issues came from containing their gaps. 

He starred at Alcovy High School in Covington, Georgia, where he made a name for himself and stood out. Coming out of high school, he was rated as a three-star prospect, the No.121 defensive lineman, the No.131 player in Georgia, with an 86 overall rating per 247Sports."

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