Georgia Tech Football: Yellow Jackets Will Reportedly Get A Visit From Transfer Portal Safety

Georgia Tech looks like they are interested in adding more help in the secondary

Nov 18, 2023; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers wide receiver Malik Nabers (8) hauls in a pass reception for a touchdown while being defended by Georgia State Panthers safety Jeremiah Johnson (6) (left) and cornerback Bryquice Brown (5) (right) in first quarter action at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Dobbins-Imagn Images / Matthew Dobbins-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech has been busy in the transfer portal this offseason and currently has 16 transfer portal commitments. Two of those commitments are in the secondary and the Yellow Jackets could be looking to add another. According to Richie O'Leary at Rivals, Georgia Tech is going to be getting a visit from Georgia State transfer safety Jeremiah Johnson. Johnson has played for the Panthers for the last three seasons and would bring experience and depth to the Georgia Tech secondary.

Georgia State transfer safety Jeremiah Johnson is planning to visit Vanderbilt today and Georgia Tech on Monday. @TheDoreReport || @jacketsonlinehttps://t.co/M2DcqyyDb0

— Richie O’Leary (@RivalsRichie) January 3, 2025

According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson 743 snaps this past season and earned a 72.1 overall defensive grade and had solid grades across the board in coverage and in run support. In 2023, Johnson played 874 snaps, but only earned a 61.7 grade. The 5'11 192 LBS defensive back totaled 164 tackles, seven pass defelections, and two interceptions across three seasons for the Panthers. He would join Eastern Michigan's Daiquan White and UAB's Kelvin Hill as transfer commitments if he does end up in Georgia Tech's portal class.

Yesterday, Georgia Tech earned a commitment from one of the best players at an underrated position of need for the team.

UNLV punter Marshall Nichols is going to transfer to the Yellow Jackets and assume the punting duties in 2025. Nichols has been the starting punter for the Rebels for the past three seasons and in 2023, he ranked 6th nationally, averaging 47.1 yards per punt. In 2022, Nichols averaged 42.4 yards per punt and this past season, he averaged 44.3 yards per punt. The Yellow Jackets are losing punter David Shanahan due to him being out of eligibility and Nichols is a fantastic replacement. He is an Atlanta native who played at Holy Innocents Episcopal and started his career at Mississippi State before he transferred to UNLV.

Here is more info on Nichols courtesy of unlvrebels.com:

2024:

• Honorable Mention All-Mountain West 
• His 79-yard punt vs. UNR was the second-longest in school history
• Booted a 64-yard punt in win in a rainstorm at San Jose State
• Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List
• Named to Ray Guy Award Ray’s 8 (Sept. 16)
• Averaged over 50 yards per attempt at SJSU and vs. Boise State during regular season
• Booted a 63-yarder vs. Boise State on Oct. 25
• Punted in the rain seven times at Hawaii

2023: "Earned Honorable Mention All-MW after one of the best punting seasons in UNLV history ... Also named Second Team All-MW by Mountain West Wire and Third Team all-conference by Phil Steele ... His average of 47.1 yards per attempt not only ranked sixth in the nation but was also the second-highest mark in Rebel history, sitting only slightly behind 1984 All-American Randall Cunningham’s 47.5 rate ... His kicks resulted in 23 fair catches with 18 ending inside opponent 20-yard lines ... An eye-popping 22 of his attempts went at least 50 yards, including a career-long of 60 at Michigan ... Averaged at least 42 yards per attempt in 13 of 14 games ... Finished above 50 yards three times (53.0 vs. CSU, 53.3 vs. Boise State and 52.7 vs. Kansas in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, which was a school bowl record) ... His most impressive outing came in the win at Air Force when he dropped three punts inside the 20, including a pair near the goal line, and also completed a pass on fourth down to complete a fake punt and set his team up for a field goal."

2022: "Earned his first letter as a Rebel by handling all 59 of UNLV’s punts for 2,450 yards … Ranked 45th in the nation with an average of 42.44 yards … Had eight punts go at least 50 yards, including a season-long 56-yarder at Cal … Forced 19 fair catches on the year … Punted a season-high seven times in four different games … Averaged at least 40 yards in 11 of 12 games … Best game came in the season-ending victory over UNR when he booted it seven times for an average of 47.0 yards."

Georgia Tech Transfer Portal Commitments (16)

• DB Daiquan White (Previous School- Eastern Michigan)

• DB Kelvin Hill (UAB)

• WR Debron Gatling (South Carolina)

• OL Andrew Rosinski (North Carolina)

• WR Eric Rivers (FIU)

• DL Ronald Triplette (UTSA)

• TE J.T. Byrne (Cal)

• WR Dean Patterson (FIU)

• OL Jakolby Jones (JUCO)

• TE Harry Lodge (Wake Forest)

• LB Cayman Spaulding (Tennessee Tech)

• DT Matthew Alexander (UCF)

• LB Melvin Jordan (Oregon State)

• DE Brayden Manley (Mercer)

• RB Malachi Hosley (Penn)

• P Marshall Nichols (UNLV)