Georgia Tech Football: National Analyst Gives Pick For Who Has Been The Yellow Jackets Best Transfer Addition

Who has been the best transfer portal addition to the roster this season for Georgia Tech?

Sep 14, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive lineman Romello Height (9) reacts after a tackle against the Virginia Military Institute Keydets in the first quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech made quite a few transfer portal additions this past offseason, especially along the defensive line. Most of the additions on the defensive side of the football have turned the Yellow Jackets from one of the worst rush defenses in the country to ranking No. 15 in the country in run defense with two games to go. While that is a pretty remarkable turnaround, it is hard to pinpoint just one player who deserves the credit for being Georgia Tech's top transfer.

247Sports Grant Hughes shared his thoughts on this topic and picked Romello Height as the Yellow Jackets top transfer addition:

Height has played in all 10 games for Georgia Tech and leads the team with seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in addition to 33 total tackles and two forced fumbles. He's recorded at least two pressures in nine of his 10 games this season."

One of the areas which Georgia Tech has struggled on defensively has been pass rush, but Height has been the most consistent pass rusher this season. Height sealed the upset vs Miami this past weekened with his strip sack of Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward.

STUNG EM'

Romello Height comes up with the huge strip-sack that seals the win for the Yellow Jackets 🐝@GeorgiaTechFB | @GTAthletics | #StingEm | @cpisecurity pic.twitter.com/ZvpzpWwbch

— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) November 9, 2024

PFF (Pro Football Focus) sees things a little bit differently. On defense, Penn State defensive tackle transfer Jordan van den Berg is the highest rated transfer on that side of the ball, grading out with a 79.2 grade in 287 snaps, including an elite 89.6 grade against the run. Tennessee transfer cornerback is right behind van den Berg with a 79.0 grade on defense, including an 82.6 grade in coverage. Miami defensive tackle transfer Thomas Gore is the No. 3 rated defensive player on the Yellow Jackets, grading out at 77.0. Height is the No. 7 rated player on the defense, grading out with a 71.2 grade on PFF.

On offense, Yale tight end transfer Jackson Hawes is the top rated transfer with 70.1 grade in 375 snaps.

There are still two games remaining on the Yellow Jackets schedule, including their last home game of the year next Thursday vs NC State. While NC State might not be the team that everyone thought they would be at the start of the season, they have the respect of Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key, who had a lot of praise for their team earlier this week:

"Yeah, they're a good football team, you know, they've had some, some ups and downs in the season. Dave Doeren is a tremendous football coach. He is someone that I very much respect this league, I respect in the world of college football. He's been good to me as far as becoming a new coach in the league and just kind of, whether it be at different events or different things, show me the ways a little bit. He's just been really good to me in that way. But there's such a mutual respect and respect for how he's built his football program over the last, you know, what is it, 10 years or what not? So many can say, you know, eight win seasons, you know, the development of the players in this program, you know, he truly believes in being a developmental program and in building bringing guys in from the high school ranks and in developing those guys, you know, they play physical and tough at the line of scrimmage, you know, they're gonna be, you know, It's a different defensive front than we've seen as of late. And the quarterback's playing good football, so very similar in a lot of ways, program -wise, identity of a program. So it's gonna be a big challenge for us."

This is going to be a test for Georgia Tech. They have not always been dependable following a win, especially a big win and Dave Doeren is a really good coach who will have his team prepared to play.

Additional Links:

Georgia Tech Football: Yellow Jackets Open As Near Double-Digit Favorites vs NC State Next Thursday Night

ACC Football: Predictions For Every Week 12 Game

Georgia Tech Football: Updated ACC Standings Heading Into Week 12