Georgia Tech Football: More Key Members of The Yellow Jackets Announce Their Return For the 2025 Season

Georgia Tech could be one of the ACC's Best Teams in 2025

Sep 7, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange running back Will Nixon (24) avoids a tackle by Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive lineman Jordan van den Berg (99) in the third quarter at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images / Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech has the possibility to field a very talented team in 2025, a team that could have a chance to compete for the ACC Championship. The Yellow Jackets have already gotten announcements from key players such as quarterbacks Haynes King and Aaron Philo, linebacker Kyle Efford, and defensive back Rodney Shelley that they will be back for next season and more announcements are coming in from some of the Yellow Jackets top players. In the past two days, defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg, defensive back Omar Daniels, offensive lineman Harrison Moore, tight end Brett Seither, and offenisve lineman Keyland Rutledge.

🏠x 4️⃣#StingEm 🐝 pic.twitter.com/ci0hRZKkXP

— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) December 19, 2024

I’m here!! Let’s run it back #gojackets 🐝 pic.twitter.com/xvmuZjlOeM

— OD 4 (@OmarDaniels_10) December 19, 2024

Rutledge transferred over to Georgia Tech from Middle Tennessee State and was a starter for every game this season for one of the ACC's best rushing attacks. Notably, Tech’s offensive all-ACC performers headline a unit that ranks among the top 50 nationally in total (427.1 ypg), rushing (186.8 ypg) and passing offense (240.3 ypg), as well as in the top five in fewest sacks allowed (6) and fewest turnovers (8).

Getting van den Berg back on defense is huge. Georgia Tech is losing quite a bit of defensive lineman from this year's team, but he was arguably their best, and having him stay will be big for the defense. He finished the season with 20 tackles and one sack, as well as finishing with a 76.6 grade on Pro Football Focus, the second highest-grade on the Yellow Jackets defense.

Seither was out for the season with an injury, but he was an effective tight end in the 2023 season and with Georgia Tech losing Jackson Hawes, Ryland Goede, and Avery Boyd, having Seither back for one more year is huge.

Harrison Moore is one of Georgia Tech's talented young offensive linemen who got to play this season and having Daniels back gives Georgia Tech depth in the secondary.

King has one more year of eligibility remaining, while Philo showed this season that he can be the quarterback of the future once King leaves after next season. King told the media last week that he was going to play in the bowl game:

"It's just who I am and what this team is about and it starts with the quarterback, if your quarterback isn't tough, resilient, your team's not going to be tough or resilient. That is not even in the question. If I can go, I'm going and that's just me, I love the game of football, love to compete, and um you know it hadn't even come up and Coach Key knows better than to ask me you know, if I can go I'm going."

King was then asked if he had given any thought to coming back for the 2025 season:

"Yeah I will probably come back. You know, nothing is official nowadays but I mean I have not thought about leaving or this or that but the people that we have in this building, it is rare and I value relationships with people and the direction this program is going, you can't put a digit or a number on it and I am probably going to be here next year, I love this team, love the coaching staff and love what they have done and I am not one to go back on my word either. "

Having King back for next season is massive for Georgia Tech and makes them contenders to get to the ACC Championship game. King is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country and he makes the Yellow Jackets offense hard to stop. King threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns as well as running for 110 yards and three touchdowns in the eight overtime loss to Georgia after the game, head coach Brent Key spoke about him and his performance, as well as what this game signals for the program moving forward:

""He's a warrior. He's one of the toughest kids I've ever been around in my life. He wills others around. Proud of him. Proud of all of them.

"Correct, but, the game's-- there's so much about college football that's special, And there's so many things that as a college football coach that you take pride in. Yeah, the judgment comes from when the scoreboard hits zero. But the things we do with these kids and to see these kids grow and mature, to see them do what they do in school, do what they do socially, do what they do each week on the football field, they're special. They're special. And it hurts. It hurts them. That locker room, I've never seen anything like that. What I know about these kids, what I know about this team, what I know about this school, this emotion will turn into fuel, and we'll use that fuel."

Two of Georgia Tech's five losses came with King out of the lineup. When he came back, he split time with Philo in wins over Miami and NC State, before playing his normal full-time snaps against the Bulldogs. Philo played the majority of snaps in the win over the Wolfpack. Philo finished the game 19-33 for 265 yards as well as 57 yards rushing and led the game-winning drive.

How good was Philo? He finished as the highest graded quarterback in the entire country in week 13 according to PFF (Pro Football Focus). Philo earned a 93.7 grade (top in the country) and a 93.3 passing grade (3rd in the country).

This is great news for the program and all signs point to a big 2025 season coming.

Additional Links:

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