:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50312091/16510828148_b62a886260_o.0.jpg)
Right on the heels of the start to fall camp late last week, Georgia Tech’s coaching staff got its tenth commitment from 3-star Florida DB O.J. Tucker.
Truly Blessed To Announce That I Am Officially A Yellow Jacket! #SWARM17 pic.twitter.com/Tz9B74B0Ld
— Juice_3k (@DatDude_Tuckk) August 6, 2016
As the tenth commitment in the class, Tucker becomes the third defensive back in the class, joining Jaytlin Askew and Dameon Williams. Tucker stands 6’0”, weighs in at 190 pounds, and comes from Vanguard High School in Ocala, FL. He commits to Georgia Tech over reported offers from Nebraska, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Kentucky, Iowa State, UCF, and more FBS programs.
Listed between 6’0” and 6’1” (depending on the site) and approaching 200 pounds, Tucker shows good size for a cornerback, which translates into good shows of strength when trying to knock wide receivers off of the line of scrimmage and when playing the ball on passes. He also displays pretty good ball skills in his junior highlights, bringing in interceptions off of tipped passes and knocking down passes from behind even when receivers have the positional advantage over him. One of my biggest questions about Tucker is his top-end speed, which on his highlights doesn’t make him particularly stand out against his high school competition.
With the numbers as they are and Tucker being the third defensive back to commit in this class, it’s unclear whether Tucker fits in as a cornerback or safety. With the current distribution of scholarships, it wouldn’t make sense to everyone slotted at cornerback (as the previous two commitments were, as as Tucker’s highlights show him playing pretty exclusively). Given his size and speed, my initial inclination would be that Tucker translates to the next level as a safety, but time will tell how that is sorted out.
Tucker is rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals (5.5) and the 247Sports Composite (0.8455 — #2 in the class, currently).
Here’s how Georgia Tech’s current recruiting class looks after the addition of Tucker:
| POSITION | NAME | HT | WT | HOMETOWN | RIVALS | 247SPORTS | COMMIT DATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | Pressley Harvin III | 6-0 | 230 | Sumter, SC | 3-star (5.5) | 2-star (0.7965) | 3/7/2016 |
| OL | Connor Hansen | 6-2 | 320 | Tallahassee, FL | 2-star (5.4) | 3-star (0.8154) | 6/5/2016 |
| LB | TD Roof | 5-11 | 202 | Buford, GA | 2-star (5.4) | 3-star (0.8104) | 6/6/2016 |
| K | Joseph Bulovas | 6-0 | 205 | Mandeville, LA | 2-star (5.4) | 3-star (0.8054) | 6/10/2016 |
| DB | Dameon Williams | 5-10 | 170 | Norcross, GA | 3-star (5.5) | 3-star (0.8422) | 6/11/2016 |
| DB | Jaytlin Askew | 5-9 | 170 | Powder Springs, GA | 3-star (5.7) | 3-star (0.8646) | 6/16/2016 |
| OL | Zach Quinney | 6-6 | 260 | Savannah, GA | 3-star (5.6) | 3-star (0.8362) | 7/19/2016 |
| OL | Demetris Harris | 6-3 | 283 | Jacksonville, FL | 3-star (5.6) | 3-star (0.8207) | 7/25/2016 |
| OL | Michael Minihan | 6-3 | 285 | Honolulu, HI | 2-star (5.4) | 3-star (0.8265) | 7/27/2016 |
| DB | OJ Tucker | 6-0 | 190 | Ocala, FL | 3-star (5.5) | 3-star (0.8455) | 8/6/2016 |
Congratulations to Tucker and his family, and to the Georgia Tech coaching staff!