Georgia Tech 2024 Position Preview Series, Safeties: Yellow Jackets Have One Of The ACC's Top Safety Tandems

LaMiles Brooks and Clayton Powell-Lee are two of the most experienced safeties in the ACC

Nov 18, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Syracuse Orange running back LeQuint Allen (1) is tackled by Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive back Clayton Powell-Lee (5) in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

To wrap up our preview of the defense, let's take a look at the safety position, a spot where Georgia Tech returns two of the most experienced safeties in the ACC. Georgia Tech also has a new position coach coaching this group this fall, former Georgia State defensive backs coach Cory Peoples is now taking over coaching the safety position.

Before reading about the safeties for the upcoming season, go and check out the other positions that I have already previewed.

Quarterback

Running Back

Wide Reciever

Tight end

Offensive Line

Defensive Line

Linebackers

Cornerbacks

LaMiles Brooks has All-ACC level talent and Clayton Powell-Lee has been playing tons of snaps since he was a true freshman. They will be manning the back of the defense again this season. 

Powell-Lee is one of Georgia Tech's highest-graded returning players on defense according to PFF (Pro Football Focus). Last season, he finished with a 74.2 grade on defense on 698 snaps and he has only been improving since he got on the field in 2022. He was the second leading tackler on Georgia Tech last season, finishing with 71 tackles, two pass deflections, and one interception. In 2022, Powell-Lee finished the year with 46 tackles, two pass deflections, and an interception. He played well in a win against Virginia Tech, totaling six tackles and an interception in the game and he was named the ACC defensive back of the week after that performance. 

LaMiles Brooks is back for another season on The Flats and he will look to form one of the top safety duos in the ACC with Powell-Lee. Brooks finished with 67 tackles, six pass deflections, and one interception last year. His interception against Miami last year was one of the key points in the turnaround of the game. Brooks finished last season with a 53.7 grade on 659 snaps according to PFF. In 2022, Brooks finished as the highest-graded player on Georgia Tech last according to PFF (Pro Football Focus) and his coverage grade of 86.8 was good for 21st in the country and fourth in the ACC. He finished as the 23rd highest-graded safety in the country according to PFF that season.

During the spring, Brooks talked about what motivated him to come back for another season:

"Absolutely, you know last year it was more of a down season a few more injuries occurred then I would have liked, production wasn't where I would have liked it as well so you know kind of motivated for sure but embracing what happened last year, kind of accepting it for what it was or what it is, and then coming in and making this season strictly about this season, kind of not trying to look back or compare anything to last season"

Sophomore Taye Seymore got playing time last year, primarily on special teams, but he could play a crucial role on this year's team and see the field more. He finished last season with five tackles, including two against No. 1 Georgia. 

Nico Dowdell and Cedric Franklin are two guys that I really liked coming out of high school and they could be key backups and special teams players this season. Their development will be critical for the next couple of seasons.

The Yellow Jackets added one safety through the transfer portal this offseason. Cincinnati transfer Jayden Davis played his high school ball in Georgia and will be looking to make noise this year. As a recruit, the 247Sports Composite rated Davis as a three-star prospect, the No. 494 prospect in the country, the No. 47 safety in the country, and the No. 52 player in the state of Georgia.

From his bio at Cincinnati Athletics:

"Consensus three-star recruit and a four-star prospect by On3…Ranked among the Top 30 safety prospects in the country and Top 50 players in Georgia in the 2023 class by both On3 and ESPN…Recorded seven tackles and two interceptions in the prestigious 2022 U.S. Army All-American Bowl for the nation’s top high school players…His senior season was cut short due to injury, but he still earned the Cecil Morris Award as an all-county player from the Touchdown Club of Gwinnett County…Leader of one of the nation’s top high school programs in 2021, as Collins Hill finished 15-0 and won the Georgia Class 7A title, becoming the first Georgia team in the highest classification to win every game by at least 15 points since 1971…Collins Hill finished as the No. 3 team in the nation as Davis totaled 65 tackles (59 solo), eight pass breakups, and three interceptions for the Peach State’s 7A champions…Earned all-county and all-regions honors in 2021…Chose UC over offers from Louisville, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, and Michigan."

Overview:

Georgia Tech has two of the leagues best at the position, but they do have some unproven depth. I think Seymore will be one of the main backups while the young guys compete for the other spots. The secondary should be really solid thanks to having Brooks and Powell-Lee back for another season.