Georgia Tech Football Has 4th Bigget Net Rating Gain Amongst Transfer Classes In the ACC

Georgia Tech has brought in over a dozen new transfers for the 2024 Season

Oct 21, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive end Romello Height (2) celebrates against the Utah Utes in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech has had a busy offseason of adding talent to their roster. The Yellow Jackets have looked at upgrading a few key spots on offense, but most of the attention was on the defense during both the winter and the spring transfer windows.

Brent Key and his staff did one of the better jobs in the ACC of upgrading their talent and 247Sports had the Yellow Jackets transfer class as having the fourth biggest net gain in the ACC, behind Florida State, NC State, and Boston College. Here is what 247Sports analyst Brandon Marcello had to say about the transfer class that Georgia Tech just brought in:

Departures: 32 (83.1)

Newcomers: 14 (85.85)

Net rating gain: +2.75

"Georgia Tech filled some holes on defense with additions from blueblood programs like Georgia, USC and Penn State. EDGE rusher Romello Height returns to his home state after spending time at USC and Auburn, and Georgia Tech also pulled a star from rival Georgia for the second year in a row with the addition of Bulldogs linebacker E.J. Lightsey. Even so, the Yellow Jackets were decimated by the portal with 32 departures compared to 14 additions, so the net rating is a bit misleading."

Here is how 247Sports came up with that rating, courtesy of Marcello:

"In an effort to simplify the problem and better evaluate teams as we enter the summer, let's evaluate where each Power Four team stands. To do so, 247Sports takes the average rating of the players leaving each program — ratings via the 247Sports transfer rankings team — and compares it to the average rating of the players entering the program. The gross difference in players are not factored into the evaluations. Instead, the average player rating is all that matters, and we simply distill that number to reach a net gain or net loss via the 247Sports rating system."

I think that Georgia Tech has done a good job of adding players and while 32 might seem like a big number, I think only a few of those players were going to contribute to this Georgia Tech team in 2024.

Kyle Kennard, Eddie Kelly, and D'Quan Douse would have helped Georgia Tech have depth up front, while Johnson and Wallace were solid in the secondary. Still, Georgia Tech had one of the nation's worst defenses last year and the Yellow Jackets staff has done a nice job of filling in for those missing players.

Losing those players on the defensive line did hurt, but I think they have done a pretty solid job at adding to the defensive line. They have brought in defensive tackle transfers Thomas Gore (Georgia State and Miami) and Jordan van den Berg (Penn State) and USC/Auburn transfer Romello Height to rush the passer. Those three players should all contribute quickly and help turn around one of the nation's worst defenses from last year.

On Friday, Georgia Tech offically announced the addition of six new transfers the program brought in during the spring period.

Let's take a look at each of them.

TE Josh Beetham (Michigan)- Michigan (2021-23): Appeared in 11 games over three seasons at Michigan, seeing action at tight end and on special teams … Appeared in nine games as a redshirt sophomore in 2023, helping the Wolverines to a 15-0 campaign and national championship … Played in one game apiece in 2021 and 2022 … Two-time Special Teams Scout Team Player of the Week for his efforts in helping Michigan prepare for games against Maryland and Penn State in 2022 … Two-time academic all-Big Ten honoree (2022 and 2023).

Illinois (2020): Did not see game action as a true freshman quarterback … Retained season of eligibility due to Covid-19 pandemic.

High School: Named honorable mention all-state as a senior QB … Two-time all-conference and all-area selection … Coached by Dan McGuire … Also an all-conference and all-area performer in basketball.

Safety Jayden Davis (Cincinnati)-

Cincinnati (2023): Saw action in two games as a true freshman (vs. Houston and vs. West Virginia) … Did not record any statistics … Redshirted.

High School: Rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN … Ranked among the top 50 overall prospects in the state of Georgia by both Rivals and ESPN … Senior season was cut short due to injury, but still garnered all-county recognition from the Touchdown Club of Gwinnett County … Earned all-region and all-county honors as a junior in 2021, when he recorded 65 tackles (59 solo), three interceptions and eight pass breakups while helping lead Collins Hill to a 15-0 record, the Georgia 7-A state championship and a No. 3 final national ranking … His 2021 Collins Hill team was the first to play in the highest classification in Georgia and win every game by at least 15 points since 1971 … Coached by Lenny Gregory.

Defensive lineman Thomas Gore (Miami and Georgia State):

Miami (2023): Played in all 13 games … Recorded eight tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks … Notched both sacks in a win at Temple … Had season-high three tackles against Bethune-Cookman … Had solo stops against North Carolina, Louisville and in the Pinstripe Bowl against Rutgers.

Georgia State (2019-22): Spent four seasons at nearby Georgia State … Amassed 93 tackles, 22 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in four seasons … Named honorable mention all-Sun Belt after recording 45 tackles, 9.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks as a redshirt freshman in 2021 … Redshirted as a true freshman in 2019 and retained a season of eligibility in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

High School: Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals and 247Sports … Named first-team all-state after helping lead Brentwood Academy to its fourth-straight state championship in 2018 … Coached by Cody White … Was also a state heavyweight champion in wrestling … Threw shot put in track and field.

Defensive End Romello Height (Auburn and USC):

Southern California (2022-23): Played two seasons at USC … Played in 12 of the Trojans’ 13 games as a redshirt sophomore in 2023, recording 21 tackles, six tackles for loss, four sacks and a fumble recovery … Was limited to just two games as a sophomore in 2022, starting against Rice and Stanford before sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury.

Auburn (2020-21): Played two seasons at Auburn … Appeared in just one game as a true freshman in 2020 (vs. LSU) and retained season of eligibility due to Covid-19 pandemic … Made 19 tackles, including three for loss, as a freshman in 2021 … Twice recorded a season-high four tackles at Arkansas (including a half TFL) and vs. Alabama (including a TFL).

High School: Rated as a four-star prospect by 247Sports … Tabbed as the No. 24 outside linebacker in the nation and No. 35 overall prospect in the state of Georgia … Named first-team MaxPreps Small Schools all-America and Georgia Class 2-A Defensive Player of the Year following his senior season in 2019 … Amassed 27 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception that he returned 60 yards for a touchdown as a senior, helping lead Dublin to the Georgia 2A state championship … Also caught two passes for 112 yards and a touchdown at wide receiver and returned a kickoff 43 yards during final prep season … Coached by Roger Holmes.

Cornerback Zachary Tobe (Illinois):

DB, So., 6-2, 190, Ocoee, Fla./Ocoee H.S. (Illinois)

Illinois (2023): Played in 10 games and made three starts at cornerback in lone season at Illinois … Recorded 25 tackles and five pass breakups … Had three tackles and a season-high three pass breakups vs. FAU … Amassed a season-high seven tackles in finale vs. Northwestern … Also had three or more tackles against Nebraska (4), Minnesota (3) and Indiana (3) … Broke up single passes against Wisconsin and Indiana.

Cornerback Zachary Tobe (Illinois):

DB, So., 6-2, 190, Ocoee, Fla./Ocoee H.S. (Illinois)

Illinois (2023): Played in 10 games and made three starts at cornerback in lone season at Illinois … Recorded 25 tackles and five pass breakups … Had three tackles and a season-high three pass breakups vs. FAU … Amassed a season-high seven tackles in finale vs. Northwestern … Also had three or more tackles against Nebraska (4), Minnesota (3) and Indiana (3) … Broke up single passes against Wisconsin and Indiana.

Iowa Western C.C. (2020): Played one season at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa during the spring of 2021 (season moved from fall due to Covid-19 pandemic) … Added 40 pounds to aid in transition from linebacker to defensive line … Named first-team junior college all-America and first-team all-region despite playing in only six games … Recorded 13 tackles, including four TFL … Had a season-high 7.5 tackles against Iowa Central C.C. … Had a season-best two TFL against Snow College … Helped lead Iowa Western C.C. to an 8-1 overall record.

High School: Played linebacker at Providence Christian Academy in nearby Lilburn, Ga. … Named first-team all-state as a senior in 2019 … Two-time all-region and all-county honoree … Providence Christian’s all-time leader in career tackles, single-season tackles and single-season tackles for loss … Set school records with 157 tackles and 14 TFL as a senior … Also notched four sacks during final prep campaign … Coached by Parker Conley … Also earned three letters in baseball and two in basketball.