Georgia Tech Football: Meet the Recruits - OL/DL Jahaziel Lee

As a Recruit

Lee's recruitment with Georgia Tech didn't start until late in the 2016 recruiting cycle. Lee was originally committed to Louisiana-Lafayette, but received an offer from the Jackets and decided to visit. Lee was the only signee from the state of Louisiana this year, and attended the same school as GT QB Christian Campbell. Campbell's brother, Donavaughn, was also recruited by Georgia Tech, but chose LSU. Despite playing at DE primarily in High School, Lee was recruited to Georgia Tech as an Offensive Lineman, helping to fill a big need for the Jackets.

Film Review

All of Lee's highlight film is on the defensive side of the ball, so this film review will go a bit differently. Instead of analyzing his play directly, we'll be looking through his defensive tape in order to discover whether or not Lee possesses the requisite skills of an Offensive Tackle in Paul Johnson's offense. Lee will almost certainly play Tackle if he plays on the offensive side of the ball, as he is unlikely to reach the 295+ lbs required at the Guard position. His athletic skill set is also ideal for the Tackle position, and he could help solve some of Georgia Tech's issues blocking at the second level. Lee is a "natural mover" in space, showing great ability to change direction and chase down much smaller players. He has fluid hips, which help him to do a great job of changing direction and shifting his weight as necessary. On offense, these movement skills will help him to block the MLB on Inside Veer(Triple Option) plays, the base play of this offense. His ability to bend should also help him execute effective cut blocks on the back side of plays.

I was impressed with how active Lee's hands are when he engages blockers. Quick, active hands are usually more of a DL skill, while OL are generally graded on "heavy hands and punch." However, this year proved that Georgia Tech OTs need to be slippery to overcome the jam attempts they see from opposing DEs. As such, Lee's DL experience could help him in solving one of Georgia Tech's biggest problems from 2015.

If Lee ends up on the DL instead of the OL, he will be able to contribute just as well. In addition to the skills listed above, Lee has a decent first step, and has good burst to close in on the ball carrier or passer. He has film blocking punts as well, which further shows his burst. He's a heavy tackler when he squares up the ball carrier, much like Adam Gotsis. His final position should come down to how much weight his frame can carry, and I'm not sure if he'll be able to hold the 285+ lbs required to play OT or DT. If he doesn't reach that weight, he'll make an effective DE, so it's not something to worry about.

What to Expect

Expect Lee to redshirt this year as he looks to add weight. His recruiting profiles listed him at about 265 lbs, but Georgia Tech listed him at 245 on signing day. While Lee will get his first looks on the offensive side of the ball, whether or not he sticks there will depend on which of those numbers is closer to the truth, and how much weight he will be able to add while he is going through his redshirt year. Lee will need to get to about 285 lbs if he hopes to play Offensive Tackle, and even more than that if he hopes to play Guard.

If he is unable to add that much weight, expect him to stick at DE. He would be a bit small for DT, though he could move there if depth issues present themselves. If he ends up in the 270-280 lb range, he would be a good candidate for playing DE, especially during running downs. His flexibility will allow him to contribute significantly somewhere on the field. What is unknown as of now is where exactly that will be.