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With less than a month until National Signing Day, Georgia Tech still has work to do on its 2017 Recruiting Class

The Yellow Jackets are in good shape, but have spots left to fill in the coming weeks.

TaxSlayer Bowl - Georgia Tech v Kentucky Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images

In college football recruiting, National Signing Day is the first day on which high school seniors are permitted to sign a National Letter of Intent (NLI), binding them to a particular school of their choice. (Yes, technically National Signing Day is only the first day for seniors to do this. Realistically, it’s the only day when about 98% of players headed to Power-5 schools will sign.) It occurs each year on the first Wednesday of February — this year, that’s February 1st. As of today, we’re under three weeks away from National Signing Day, and officially in the heart of recruiting season.

That being said, let’s take a look at where things stand for Georgia Tech as the finish line is approached.

Georgia Tech finds itself in good shape so far...

Georgia Tech’s 2017 Recruiting Class

Position Name Ht Wt Hometown Rivals 247Sports Composite Commit Date Status
Position Name Ht Wt Hometown Rivals 247Sports Composite Commit Date Status
DB Jaytlin Askew 5-9 170 Powder Springs, GA 3-star (5.7) 3-star (0.8646) 6/16/2016 Enrolled (1/9/2017)
DB Gentry Bonds 6-1 190 Murfreesboro, TN 4-star (5.8) 3-star (0.8545) 8/18/2016 Enrolled (1/9/2017)
P Pressley Harvin III 6-0 230 Sumter, SC 3-star (5.5) 3-star (0.8145) 3/7/2016 Committed (3/7/2016)
OL Connor Hansen 6-2 320 Tallahassee, FL 3-star (5.5) 3-star (0.8154) 6/5/2016 Committed (6/5/2016)
LB TD Roof 5-11 202 Buford, GA 3-star (5.5) 3-star (0.8347) 6/6/2016 Committed (6/6/2016)
K Joseph Bulovas 6-0 205 Mandeville, LA 3-star (5.5) 3-star (0.8099) 6/10/2016 Committed (6/10/2016)
DB Dameon Williams 5-10 170 Norcross, GA 3-star (5.5) 3-star (0.8472) 6/11/2016 Committed (6/11/2016)
OL Zach Quinney 6-6 260 Savannah, GA 3-star (5.6) 3-star (0.8396) 7/19/2016 Committed (7/19/2016)
OL Michael Minihan 6-3 285 Honolulu, HI 3-star (5.5) 3-star (0.8403) 7/24/2016 Committed (7/24/2016)
DB Tre' Swilling 6-0 180 New Orleans, LA 4-star (5.8) 3-star (0.8752) 8/22/2016 Committed (8/22/2016)
LB Bruce Jordan-Swilling 6-0 215 New Orleans, LA 4-star (5.8) 4-star (0.9230) 8/23/2016 Committed (8/23/2016)
RB Jerry Howard, Jr. 6-0 210 Rock Hill, SC 2-star (5.4) 3-star (0.8092) 11/21/2016 Committed (11/21/2016)
QB Tobias Oliver 6-2 180 Warner Robins, GA 2-star (5.4) 3-star (0.8374) 11/27/2016 Committed (11/27/2016)
DL Cortez Alston 6-3 250 Atlanta, GA 3-star (5.6) 3-star (0.8534) 12/21/2016 Committed (12/21/2016)
OL Charlie Clark 6-4 270 Atlanta, GA 2-star (5.3) 2-star (0.7951) 1/9/2017 Committed (1/9/2017)

As it stands, the Yellow Jackets are in really good shape with their recruiting class at the moment. You’ll notice on the Scholarship Breakdown that Georgia Tech has room for as many as 23 in this recruiting class, although history tells us that they’ll leave a spot or two open so that scholarships can be awarded to walk-on players as appropriate.

...but with some work still left to do.

Expecting a class size of 21 to 22, Coach Johnson’s staff has about 6 to 7 spots left to fill in the coming three weeks. That number is fairly average for this time of year, and is entirely attainable. Position-wise, my guess for the wish list for those spots is as follows:

  • A-Back/Wide Receiver
  • Offensive Lineman
  • Defensive Lineman
  • Defensive Lineman
  • Linebacker
  • Best Available
  • Best Available

The A-Back/Wide Receiver spot will be determined by any personnel moves that could be in the works (and personnel moves could also be made in response to who decides to commit), but that’s pure speculation.

The recruiting big board has several interesting names set to visit the Flats over the next three weekends that are candidates to fill those slots. Here’s a list of visitors coming over the next few weekends, according to the Rivals database:

Upcoming Visits (as of 1/12/17)

Position Name Ht Wt Hometown Rivals 247Sports Composite Visit Date Status
Position Name Ht Wt Hometown Rivals 247Sports Composite Visit Date Status
DL Aliki Vimahi 6-4 255 Kahuku, HI 3-star (5.6) 3-star (0.8484) 1/13/2017 Uncommitted
DL Antwan Owens 6-4 286 Tallahassee, FL 3-star (5.6) 3-star (0.8192) 1/13/2017 Committed to UCF
LB Bruce Jordan-Swilling 6-0 215 New Orleans, LA 4-star (5.8) 4-star (0.9230) 1/13/2017 Committed to Georgia Tech
DB Dameon Williams 5-10 170 Norcross, GA 3-star (5.5) 3-star (0.8472) 1/13/2017 Committed to Georgia Tech
RB Jerry Howard, Jr. 6-0 210 Rock Hill, SC 2-star (5.4) 3-star (0.8092) 1/13/2017 Committed to Georgia Tech
RB Jordan Ponchez-Mason 6-1 205 Gallatin, TN 3-star (5.5) 3-star (0.8166) 1/13/2017 Uncommitted
WR Michael Smith 6-2 205 Vero Beach, FL NR NR 1/13/2017 Uncommitted
LB TD Roof 5-11 202 Buford, GA 3-star (5.5) 3-star (0.8347) 1/13/2017 Committed to Georgia Tech
QB Tobias Oliver 6-2 180 Warner Robins, GA 2-star (5.4) 3-star (0.8374) 1/13/2017 Committed to Georgia Tech
DB Tre' Swilling 6-0 180 New Orleans, LA 4-star (5.8) 3-star (0.8752) 1/13/2017 Committed to Georgia Tech
OL Zach Quinney 6-6 260 Savannah, GA 3-star (5.6) 3-star (0.8396) 1/13/2017 Committed to Georgia Tech
DB Avery Showell 6-2 200 Cartersville, GA 3-star (5.6) 3-star (0.8320) 1/20/2017 Uncommitted
OL Charlie Clark 6-4 270 Atlanta, GA 2-star (5.3) 2-star (0.7951) 1/20/2017 Committed to Georgia Tech
LB Jaquan Henderson 6-1 210 Covington, GA 3-star (5.7) 3-star (0.8813) 1/20/2017 Committed to Tennessee
K Joseph Bulovas 6-0 205 Mandeville, LA 3-star (5.5) 3-star (0.8099) 1/20/2017 Committed to Georgia Tech
DL Josh Johnson 6-5 240 Suwanee, GA NR NR 1/20/2017 Uncommitted
DL Kelton Dawson 6-3 235 Atlanta, GA 3-star (5.5) 3-star (0.8355) 1/20/2017 Uncommitted
LB Kendric Haynes 6-0 224 Mobile, AL 3-star (5.7) 3-star (0.8656) 1/27/2017 Uncommitted
LB Leonard Warner 6-3 220 Snellville, GA 4-star (5.8) 4-star (0.9238) 1/27/2017 Uncommitted
DL Robert Porcher IV 6-3 250 Orlando, FL 4-star (5.8) 3-star (0.8639) 1/27/2017 Uncommitted
DB Tariq Carpenter 6-2 191 Ludowici, GA 2-star (5.4) 3-star (0.8182) 1/27/2017 Committed to UCF

This coming weekend figures to be a huge one, with a dozen players set to visit, including seven players already committed to Georgia Tech and a pair of players committed to other schools. A couple of commitments here would set up the coaching staff nicely for the final two weekends.

Stay tuned to FTRS for any recruiting news that surfaces over the weekend!