It's getting close... National Signing Day is February 3, one week from Wednesday. I realize I am very behind on the profiles of each football recruit. We're going to cover two of the 2010 recruits today. But first, there was some big news over the weekend.
Tech picked up two more commitments for the 2010 class, bringing the total number of verbal commits up to 16. Deon Hill, a running back from Phoenix City, AL (attends same high school as current Tech A-back Orwin Smith) and Jeremiah Attaochu, an OLB from Washington D.C. committed during their official visits this past weekend. We'll talk more about these two young men in the future, but both are great additions to the program. Hill looks like a clone of Orwin Smith and Attaochu should become a force in Al Groh's 3-4 defense.
We have one more weekend and there will be several visitors on campus from what I hear, so look for some more exciting news leading up to National Signing day! Now, let's take a look at two more recruits after THE JUMP...
Catlin Alford is an OL recruit out of Adairsville High School is Adairsville, GA. Alford is listed at 6'3" and 270 lbs. His primary position in high school was defensive end and some tight end. That kind of athleticism will serve him well in the Reckbone system. Aside from Tech he was recruited by Navy, NC State, and Auburn among others. Also, Catlin participated in the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association North-South All-Star Classic game recently.
Watching video of him (not publicly available or else i'd share it) he reminds me a bit of Sean Bedford, currently the starting center for the Jackets. He'll be able to fire off the ball quickly and use leverage to get guys on the ground. I see him starting his Tech career at center (as most of our OL recruits do) and ending up at Guard. He will definitely be a redshirt, as his OL skills are very raw and he needs to add some bulk to his frame.
The next recruit is Isaiah Johnson, a safety from Sandy Creek HS in Tyrone, GA. Isaiah is one of the 3 recruits (along with Charles Perkins and B.J. Bostic) who has already enrolled at Tech and doing workouts with the team. His measurables are 6'2" and 180 lbs. He is a really sound defender for someone his age. With Morgan Burnett's early departure for the NFL, Isaiah may be one of the recruits in this class who gets a shot at some playing time next year. We'll have to see how he does during spring ball, but he's definitely a name to watch out for in the near future.
Here is some video of Isaiah from his Junior year. He is wearing number 49 in these clips. As you can tell, he's got great closing speed and is a disciplined tackler. Another great pickup by the Tech coaching staff. We may have another star at safety in the making on The Flats.
This class will not be rated highly by the recruiting services. As it stands now, I believe Scout.com has us ranked 44th in the recruiting rankings. But the coaching staff has addressed nearly all the needs we have, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Because our coaches do all of their own scouting (and not all coaching staffs do this surprisingly), the staff has an excellent understanding of the capabilities of each player they recruit.
If you want to get an idea of how well our coaches know these recruits, head to the Edge Building and the football meeting room on the second floor on the morning of signing day. I'll have an exact time for you later, but last year the public was allowed to arrive at 7am or so. This is different from the official celebration that takes place at night downtown. Each coach discusses their recruits as the LOI are faxed in. It's fascinating to hear them talk about these recruits and how they see them fitting in to the program. All the coaches also take questions from the fans assembled about the program in general and certain players.
I got the opportunity to go last year and it was probably one of the 10 best experiences I had as a Tech football fan. The best part is when Paul Johnson speaks at the end and takes questions from the fans in the room. Last year, he called us "really hardcore" for coming so early. His greatness cannot be quantified.
THWG