Georgia Tech Football Transfer Profile: Christian Leary

What kind of impact can Christian Leary have on the Georgia Tech offense?

Author:
Jackson Caudell
Publish date:
Feb 19, 2023 3:27 PM EST

In this story:

One of the positions groups that Georgia Tech needed massive improvement from heading into 2023 was wide receiver. Nate McCollum was a good player for the Yellow Jackets in 2022, but he was the only consistent receiver and he transferred to North Carolina after the season. Not only that, EJ Jenkins and Malachi Carter were out of eligibility and both Ryan King and Kalani Norris transferred to other programs. Tech has young players at the position they hope can take the next step, but they needed to add to this position in the offseason.

Georgia Tech's offensive staff underwent a lot of change in the offseason and Del Alexander, the receivers coach in 2022, was no longer with the program. Brent Key elected to bring in Josh Crawford, who spent last season as the wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator at Western Kentucky.

Georgia Tech has turnover on the field and the coaching staff for the wide receiver position and today, we are going to profile the new transfer wide receiver I think has a chance to have a big impact on the field for the Yellow Jackets this fall.

Christian Leary is a former four-star recruit from Orlando, FL and he has spent the last two seasons with Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Leary decided to transfer after this past season and initially, it appeared that he was going to transfer home and play for UCF, which is heading to the Big 12 next season. Key was able to flip Leary from UCF and it was quite the pull for the Yellow Jackets head coach.

Leary was well thought of as a recruit and here is what 247Sports recruiting analyst Andrew Ivins wrote in 2020 about Leary:

"Has the looks of a true slot receiver given short stature. Thick trunk. One of the fastest prospects in the class of 2021. Posted a school-record 10.5 in the 100-meter dash as a junior. Speed allows him to take the top off a defense. Capable of creating separation while working across the field. Uses sharp cuts to weave in and out of traffic once the ball is in his hands. Might be on the smaller side, but runs hard in-between the tackles. Took plenty of direct snaps in high school, which frequently moved the chains. Serviceable hands, but limited catch radius. Not the most spirited blocker. Ability to get deep faster than most is a unique trait in an era where almost everyone is trying to air it out on offense. Has the tools to develop into a multi-year starter and a weapon at the Power 5 level if he buys into the process. Potential is there to play on Sundays."

Ivins projected Leary as a day-three pick in the NFL Draft and compared him to Marquise Goodwin, one of the fastest receivers in the NFL at the time.

Here is what 247Sports writer Charles Power wrote about Leary. He also projected Leary to be a day-three pick in the NFL Draft and compared him to former UMass and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Andy Isabella:

"Shorter in stature with a thick, developed lower body. Has added around ten pounds of mass from his sophomore to junior years of high school One of the faster wide receivers on the track in the 2021 cycle and posted some sensational times in the 100 meters early in the spring prior to his senior season. Helped Edgewater to a state title berth as a junior. Productive as a receiver and direct-snap run threat. Transfers his high-level top-end speed to the football field. Pulls away from defenders with ease once in the open field with a long, explosive stride. Dangerous in several facets and a threat to score whenever he touches the ball. Skilled in the open field, whether it's in catch and run situations, as a rusher or return man. Also has the play strength to run with some power. Shows ability to locate and track the ball as a downfield target. Looks like a multi-purpose, versatile offensive weapon at the next level. Will need to continue adding to his skill set as a route-runner as he runs a fairly limited route tree to this point- even more important for a shorter wide receiver. Projects as a Power Five starter with the upside to develop into a NFL Draft selection."

Leary projected well as a slot receiver coming out of high school and I think that is the role he is going to play for the Yellow Jackets.

During his true freshman season at Alabama, Leary played a total of just 13 snaps according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), and finished with a 73.5 grade on offense, with a 72.9 grade in the passing game and a 68.1 in the run game.

Leary played a total of 45 snaps in 2022 and finished with a lower grade of 53.1, with 52.6 in the passing game and 60.2 in the run game.

Leary only tallied three catches for 10 yards, but he still has potential.

The thing is, Leary only played 58 total snaps while at Alabama and it is hard to make a judgement about a player that has not been on the field for a lot of snaps. I think he has untapped potential and it is going to be up to Crawford and new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner to get Leary touches and use his speed in ways that benefit the offense. I would not be surprised to see Leary line up in a variety of ways across formations and get handoffs, as well as catch, passes. He is an option in the return game as well.

I projected Leary to be the starting slot receiver in the spring and I am still confident in that prediction. Georgia Tech has lacked a deep vertical threat in the passing game and it is just too hard for any team to win if they can't create explosive plays in the passing game. Malik Rutherford is another player with the speed that Georgia Tech should utilize this fall.

Overall, I think this is one of the best additions that Georgia Tech made this offseason and I am excited to see Leary on the field. If healthy, he gives the Yellow Jackets a dimension that they have been lacking.

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