2024 Georgia Tech Spring Football Position Previews: Defensive Tackle
Yesterday, I started preview the Georgia Tech defense for the upcoming spring and I broke down the defensive ends. Today, let's take a look at the defensive tackles, a position that needs to be exponentially better than where it was last year.
D'Quan Douse, Jason Moore, Etinosa Reuben, and Bryston Dixon all entered the transfer portal this offseason with Douse and Moore being the only guys that saw saw a decent amount of snaps. I think it is going to be interesting to see the depth in the middle of the defensive line and if guys can take a step forward. Georgia Tech had the worst run defense in the ACC last year and one of the worst in the country. New defensive line coach Jess Simpson is going to have to level up this unit if Georgia Tech wants to get back to a bowl game and beyond. It will also be worth watching to see what new schemes new defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci implements and the kind of personnel it will call for.
Zeek Biggers (6'6 333 LBS) has the size that you would want in a run-stuffing defensive tackle, but he has not put together a consistent season just yet and the Yellow Jackets are going to be counting on him. Biggers finished with 39 tackles and one sack last season. Per PFF (Pro Football Focus), Biggers played 618 snaps and finished with a 61.8 grade on defense, which is below average. He is going to be counted on to take a step forward this season and help improve the run defense.
The player that I am most excited about at this position going into the spring is redshirt sophomore Horace Lockett. Like Biggers, Lockett (6'6 341 LBS) has the size you want in a run-stuffing defensive tackle and he started to show flashes last season of being able to take a step up and man a starting position. He finished last season with 22 tackles and per PFF, he played 270 snaps and finished with a 62.6 grade. Georgia Tech needs Lockett to take a step forward this spring and summer.
Makius Scott has plenty of experience and he rotated between playing the edge last year and playing defensive tackle. He finished the season with 34 tackles and per PFF, played 602 total snaps, but only finished with a 56.4 grade on defense. Whether it is in a starting role or as depth, Scott will be relied upon for the Georgia Tech defense.
One young player that I liked coming out of high school was redshirt freshman Shymeik Jones and with those four players transferring, Jones could be in line to be a key depth piece on the defensive line. At 6'5 283 LBS, he has more athleticsm than other players at his size and can add something to this defensive line. Keep an eye on Jones this spring and this season.
Florida State transfer Ayo Tifase
A newcomer to watch is Florida State transfer Ayo Tifase. According to PFF (Pro Football Focus), the 6'4 300 LBS Tifase played 20 snaps and finished with a 67.3 grade. That is a very small sample size and it is tough to know a lot based on that info.
Here is his high school background per his bio at Georgia Tech Athletics:
"Rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN … Tabbed as the No. 9 player in the state of Maryland and the No. 74 defensive lineman in the nation by 247Sports … Reclassified to the class of 2022, finishing high school a year early … Helped lead Concordia Prep to a 10-2 record and the 2021 Maryland Class B state championship as a junior … Anchored a defensive front that helped hold opponents to just 9.4 points per game during state championship campaign … Concordia Prep played just three games in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but helped the Saints post two shutouts in three contests as a sophomore … Coached by Joe Battaglia … Began prep career at Milford Mill Academy, where he was a member of the wrestling team, before transferring to Concordia Prep."
Tifase might be one of the most intriguing players to watch on defense this spring. He has size, which Georgia Tech needed and at worst he should be able to provide depth on the defensive line and be an adequate run-stopper (which was a massive issue last year). There is also the chance that Simpson gets something out of him that Florida State was unable to and he becomes a quality starter. It is hard to project with a player who only played 20 snaps last year, but there is talent.
This is a position that has to play better and find a way to make a difference on games or else Georgia Tech's run defense is not going to improve. I don't think there is elite talent here, but they can play better than they did last year and Simpson has a proven track record of developing defensive lines.
