By Mark Pszonak
With action in the transfer portal slowing down, it is time to take a closer look at how each P4 school did during this cycle. Up now are the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The skinny: 2023 was a rollercoaster ride for Georgia Tech in head coach Brent Key’s first full season. The Yellow Jackets finished 7-5 overall, with a 5-3 record in the ACC, and a Gasparilla Bowl victory over UCF, but the defense proved to be a liability that wasted opportunities for an even more successful season. So as the Yellow Jackets now focus on 2024, they return most of their offense and hope to revitalize their defense with the help of some portal additions.
Total # entries into portal: 38
Total # of scholarship players who entered portal: 33
Number of scholarship players who withdrew: 2
More Sports News
Key losses: DL D’Quan Douse (Michigan State), OL Jekiah Leftwich (North Carolina), DL Eddie Kelly (Missouri), DL Kyle Kennard (South Carolina)
Key additions: OL Keylan Rutledge (Middle Tennessee State), DL Jordan Van Den Berg (Penn State), LB E.J. Lightsey (Georgia), DE Romello Height (USC), DB Zachary Tobe (Illinois), DB Warren Burrell (Tennessee)
Final thoughts: While the portal focus was on the defensive side of the ball, the offense did grab OL Keylan Rutledge, who should further stabilize an already veteran line. On defense, contributions by newcomers will need to be immediate and impactful. Three likely candidates to achieve this are LB E.J. Lightsey and the defensive line duo of Jordan Van Den Berg and Romello Height. Lightsey is young and still unproven, but also has plenty of potential, which was showcased during the spring, while Height and Van Den Berg bring experience and leadership to Atlanta. If the newcomers can improve the defense, Georgia Tech has the talent to surprise some teams in the ACC.
