How Do Georgia Tech's Newest Transfer Additions Fit In?

Will Blaylock or Daniels be instant impact player for Georgia Tech?

Author:
Jackson Caudell
Publish date:
May 10, 2023 4:54 PM EDT

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Georgia Tech had a busy transfer portal period during the first window after the season ended, but had been quiet during the spring window up until the past two days. The only addition the Yellow Jackets had made was Princeton offensive line transfer, Connor Scaglione.

Last night, Rusty Mansell at On3 Sports broke the news that Georgia transfer wide receiver, Dominick Blaylock, was going to be playing in Atlanta next season, reuniting with former Georgia analyst Buster Faulker, who is Georgia Tech's offensive coordinator.

Today, Kansas State defensive back Omar Daniels announced that he was transferring to Georgia Tech, giving the Yellow Jackets depth at corner this season, which was something they had been looking for. The staff pursued Alabama transfer Tre'Quon Fegans, but he committed to USC over the weekend.

These were two positions of need for Georgia Tech and I think they are both going to have a chance to be impact players for the team next season.

So how are both players going to fit in with this team next season?

Will Dominick Blaylock be an impact player for Georgia Tech?
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Let's start with Blaylock.

The Georgia Tech wide receiver room has seen a big overhaul this offseason and it was needed. This group lost Nate McCollum, Ryan King, and Kalani Norris to transfer, and E.J. Jenkins and Malachi Carter to no more eligibility (Jenkins signed as an undrafted free agent with the New York Jets). McCollum, Jenkins, and Carter were the top three receivers on the team last year. On top of all of that, projected starter Leo Blackburn tore his ACL during spring practice and will not play this season.

The Yellow Jackets have added Christian Leary (Alabama), Chase Lane (Texas A&M), Abdul Janneh (Duquesne), and now Blaylock through the portal. Malik Rutherford, D.J. Moore, and Avery Boyd were good in the spring game and will factor into this position battle as well.

On paper, this has a chance to be a good group, but it is not a guarantee. Blaylock and Lane have had troubles with injuries, Janneh could take a bit to get adjusted to the power five level, and while Leary is very talented, he has not produced yet.

Here was the scouting report via the former director of recruiting at 247 Sports, Barton Simmons, on Blaylock coming out of high school:

"Not overly tall but thick athlete with a powerful frame and muscular lower body. Has good ball skills, tracks the ball effectively in the air and shows strong hands at the catch point. Great feet at the line of scrimmage on his releases and shows precise route-running ability. Talented with the ball in his hands and has the ability to make plays at running back or wildcat. Runs through arm tackles and shows instincts as a runner. Lets the ball get into his frame at times. Doesn’t have elite top-end speed. Will not out-athlete elite cornerbacks. Low-risk likely multi-year Power Five starter with second- or third-round NFL Draft upside."

Here is what Brad Crawford of 247Sports wrote on Blaylock, calling him one of the most underrated players still in the transfer portal:

"Blaylock entered the portal a few days after Georgia's second-consecutive national championship, knowing total targets and overall impact at a crowded position could be an issue in 2023. Per Dawgs247, Blaylock played in all 15 games for the Bulldogs with 15 receptions for 227 yards and a touchdown last fall. He had multiple receptions in five games, with the last being his two catches for 23 yards against LSU in December’s SEC Championship Game. He has two years of eligibility remaining and primarily played the slot. He's played in big games and is a reliable pass-catcher."

Georgia Tech has guys like Rutherford and Leary for speed and that was an element that they needed, as they were one of the least explosive offenses in the country last season. Blaylock is going to be a guy that can be relied upon to move the chains and be a safety net for whoever starts at quarterback for GT. If he stays healthy, he will give Georgia Tech a reliable option, which is something that should not be overlooked.

During his three seasons in Athens, Blaylock posted PFF (Pro Football Focus) grades of 78.9 (2019), 60.4 (2021), and 67.6 (2022).

Omar Daniels — Could Omar Daniel make an impact for Georgia Tech next season?
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech has been having an open competition at cornerback since Zamari Walton transferred to Ole Miss. The Yellow Jackets have a chance to have a good secondary with guys like LaMiles Brooks, Clayton Powell-Lee, Jaylon King, and Myles Sims in the back of the defense, but the other starting job was very much open.

Kenan Johnson, Kenyatta Watson, and Ahmari Harvey were the top guys during the spring, but the coaching staff felt a need to search for competition and depth and that did so with the addition of Daniels.

While he only has two tackles in each of the past two seasons, Daniels competed well at Kansas State and is coming from a program that is used to winning. He has three years of eligibility remaining.

I don't think it is a guarantee that Daniels starts opposite of Sims, but he is going to compete with the others and could even find himself playing nickel. Depth, competition, and versatility are huge in the secondary and the addition of Daniels provides that.

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