Georgia Tech At First Glance: Defensive Players Notre Dame Fans Need To Know
Georgia Tech hasn't been able to stop anyone on defense this season, which should give Notre Dame fans a great deal of excitement heading into the weekend.
Clemson just hung 73 on Georgia Tech and Boston College laid another beat down (48-27) the week after. Head coach Geoff Collins still has a long way to go if he wants to turn the Georgia Tech defense into a competitive unit.
Notre Dame is coming off the best offensive performance of the year against a solid Pitt defense. If Notre Dame can recreate the success it had last Saturday, it will be a long day for the Yellow Jackets. There are, however, some players for Georgia Tech who could cause problems if the Irish aren't on top of their game.
Here are three players to watch on the defensive side of the ball Saturday:
#44 QUEZ JACKSON, LINEBACKER
2020 stats: 46 total tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack, 1 INT
Jackson is a defensive leader and a two-year starter. The team leader in tackles has been all over the place in 2020 and one of the few bright spots for Georgia Tech. Jackson has also already matched last season's stats in half the games.
Jackson has played over 30 games to this point in his career and has been getting better with every game. He came into college as a three-star recruit and wasn't even ranked in the Top 1,000 recruit out of high school. He wasn't expected to be as solid as he is, but Jackson has turned into a major contributor.
The talented linebacker will be tasked with being a major playmaker for the Yellow Jackets and he needs to have the game of his life to slow Notre Dame down. Between a strong run game and great tight ends for the Fighting Irish, Jackson will have his work cut out for him.
#42 JORDAN DOMINECK, DEFENSIVE END
2020 stats: 23 total tackles, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 4 TFL
Domineck is a younger player along the defensive line; however, he is starting to develop and come into his own as a contributor for the Yellow Jackets.
Domineck is tied as the team leader in sacks and is #6 on the team in total tackles. Despite only being a redshirt sophomore and playing in eight games coming into 2020, he has been causing havoc in the backfield. With two forced fumbles and four tackles for loss, Domineck has the potential to grow into a solid player.
He has already set a career-high in both sacks and tackles for loss at this point. He has a tall task as he will have to face one of the best offensive lines in the country, but Domineck has been solid up to this point.
#21 ZAMARI WALTON, CORNERBACK
2020 stats: 23 total tackles, 2 INTs
Walton is yet another young player that is an early contributor for Georgia Tech. While his development still has a long way to go, Walton could become one of the better defensive backs when his college career comes to an end.
Walton is 6-3 and has impressive athleticism for a guy his size. He also has a family history of NFL defensive backs. Walton has two cousins with an extensive NFL history. Reggie Nelson is an 11-year NFL vet and Joe Cohen spent three years in the NFL as well.
As for Walton, he has the size and speed to play with most receivers. The sophomore spent his first full season in 2019 quietly putting together a good year. In 2020, Walton is leading the team in interceptions and has been taking the next step. While facing the likes of Clemson isn't easy for any corner, Walton should find a more favorable matchup against Notre Dame's receiving core.
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