Technical Tidbits 4/29

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr., one of the most well-respected NFL draft experts in the nation, recently gave his breakdown of a few of Georgia Tech's would-be draftees in anticipation of the upcoming draft. I found it interesting that Kiper referred to wide receiver DeAndre Smelter as more of an UDFA-type player than a late-round pick because of his injury. Smelter could become the steal of the draft if an NFL team is wise enough to give him a shot -- he has always been durable outside of the ACL tear and obviously has all of the necessary skills to succeed in the NFL.

Paul Johnson and Jon Barry, Georgia Tech's resident golfing pros, won their fourth Chick-fil-A Challenge this week, establishing themselves once again as the reigning hegemonic golfing powerhouse of college sports. The win by Johnson and Barry brings their total winnings from the tournament up to $682,500 for scholarships, charity donations, and probably Paul Hewitt's buyout. It is also worth noting that the duo did so by knocking off the real dynasty of college sports, Alabama's Nick Saban and Mark Ingram, in a playoff. Where have I heard that one before?

Five-star basketball recruit Jaylen Brown, who many Tech fans had pegged as the final hope for the 2015 season, has officially cut Georgia Tech from his list of finalists. This is less than a surprise -- including Tech in his list of top choices felt like more of a formality to his hometown team than a serious consideration. Basketball-wise, this is probably for the better in terms of Brown's career. He plays on of the few positions that Tech is actually relatively deep at, small forward, and Brian Gregory's track record of developing young players is less-than-stellar to say the least.

Let's wrap up this edition by addressing the unspeakable: could the Miami Hurricanes, one of the most talented teams in the ACC, actually finish sixth in the Coastal? This doesn't seem like much of a stretch -- the Canes lost an obscene amount of talent on both sides of the ball -- but UVA just seems like a lock to finish in the basement yet again, possibly with Virginia Tech. Miami finishing dead last? You might as well tell me that UNC isn't championship bound or that Sarah Palin isn't going to win the presidency. Some things are just destined to happen. Get real.

What are your final expectations for where Tech's recent graduates will get drafted on Thursday?