Georgia Tech in the NFL: Which Yellow Jackets are in training camp?

Plenty of former Georgia Tech stars are battling for roster spots

Jackson Caudell | Jul 24, 2023

Georgia Tech in the NFL: Which Yellow Jackets are in training camp? /

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NFL training camp season is now here and most teams will be reporting this week. There are numerous former Georgia Tech standouts that are battling for spots on the roster this year and some that could be in for breakout seasons.

Let's break them all down.

Juanyeh Thomas- Dallas Cowboys

Thomas did not play for the Cowboys during the regular season, but he made plays during the 2022 preseason and will be fighting for a roster spot on a team that hopes to contend for a Super Bowl.

In January, the Cowboys signed Thomas to a future/reserve contract.

During Thomas's last season on The Flats in 2021, he set a career-high in tackles with 81 and had one sack and two forced fumbles.

I am excited to see Thomas's growth from last season and if he can make a push to land on the roster

Darren Waller- New York Giants

One former Yellow Jacket whose roster spot is secure is New York Giants tight end, Darren Waller. Waller has been one of the best tight ends in the NFL but has had a problem with injuries. He was traded to the Giants from the Las Vegas Raiders and he will hope to have a bounce-back season.

Waller had been a member of the Raiders organization since 2018 after being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in 2015. Waller only caught nine passes last season and totaled 388 yards and three touchdowns.

The Giants are trying to surround quarterback Daniel Jones with as many weapons on offense as possible now that he has signed with them for the long term. Getting the former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket is the latest move to build around him.

For his career, Waller has surpassed 3,500 yards receiving, 19 touchdowns, and 298 catches. He has been one of the best-receiving threats in the NFL and is a consistent matchup problem on Sundays when healthy.

Waller played at Georgia Tech from 2012-2014 under Paul Johnson and in that time, he totaled 51 catches for 971 yards and nine touchdowns.

Kyric McGowan- Washington Commanders

Former Georgia Tech wide receiver Kyric McGowan is hoping to land on the roster for the Commanders in 2023. McGowan was in training camp with Washington last season. It is going to be an uphill battle but with a strong training camp and preseason, he could surprise.

McGowan is not the biggest receiver at 5-11 200 LBS, but he is a precise route runner and quick in space. He spent the first few seasons of his college career playing for Pat Fitzgerald at Northwestern. During his time with the Wildcats, McGowan amassed 66 catches for 773 yards and two touchdowns. He then transferred to Georgia Tech, where he would have a career season

In 2021, McGowan had 37 catches for 467 yards and seven touchdowns.

Tariq Carpenter and Tyler Davis- Green Bay Packers

Carpenter and Davis were on the roster last season and are likely to be again in 2023. Even though Green Bay drafted two tight ends in this past draft, Davis was signed to a contract extension this offseason and is likely to be a backup again in 2023.

Carpenter was used mostly on special teams last season, but he did get on the field and it will be interesting to see if he has made a leap in year two.

Carpenter is a player that got a lot better as the year has gone on. He became a key part of the Packer's special teams and did get snaps at safety. Last season, Carpenter has eight tackles in 13 games played.

During his time in Atlanta, Carpenter totaled over 200+ tackles and had three forced fumbles, four interceptions, and 17 pass deflections.

Davis had four catches on seven targets for 26 yards in 16 games last season.

Ace Eley- Carolina Panthers

Former Yellow Jackets linebacker Ace Eley went undrafted but got an invite to the Panther's rookie minicamp and he turned that into a training camp invite.

Eley was a second-team All-ACC linebacker last season and is looking to make an impact at the next level and I think he is going overlooked. Eley has been one of the most impactful defenders for the Yellow Jackets for the last two seasons since transferring to Atlanta.

Eley will need an impactful training camp and preseason in hopes to make the Panthers roster in 2023.

Jordan Mason- San Francisco 49ers

Jordan Mason went undrafted in the 2022 NFL draft, but after a great training camp and preseason, he made the San Francisco 49ers roster and was a backup in their running game. WIth that being said, Mason is still going to have to fight to make sure his roster spot is secure and I think he will.

Last season, Mason played in 16 games and carried the ball 43 times for 258 yards and one touchdown. He averaged six yards per carry and his longest carry of the season has been 55 yards. He got his first touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders later in the season.

Keion White- New England Patriots

White was the only Yellow Jacket drafted in April and he was taken in the second round by the New England Patriots. White is hopeful to be an instant impact player on one of the league's best defenses and play for the best coach in the NFL.

White is the highest draft pick for the Yellow Jackets since 2016 (Adam Gotsis, 63rd overall)

White played in all 12 games for Georgia Tech last season and led the team with 7.5 sacks and was named third-team All-ACC.

E.J. Jenkins- New York Jets

Jenkins went undrafted in April but quickly signed a deal with the New York Jets and he will hope to make their roster in 2023. Jenkins has the size to play either receiver or tight end and that kind of flexibility should prove useful this preseason.

Jenkins caught 17 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns while averaging over 18 yards per catch. His best game last season perhaps was against Florida State, when he hauled in three catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.

Malachi Carter- Cincinnati Bengals

Carter went undrafted in April and was later signed by the Bengals. Like Jenkins, he will be fighting for a roster spot this preseason on one of the best teams in the NFL. The Bengals are stacked at the receiver position and that could make things tough on Carter.

Nobody has ever played in more games as a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket than Malachi Carter.

Carter broke that record this season when Georgia Tech defeated Virginia Tech on the road and he was a part of the transition on offense during the Geoff Collins era at Georgia Tech.

During his last season as a Yellow Jacket, Carter caught 23 passes for 342 yards and two touchdowns.

Hassan Hall and Charlie Thomas- Cleveland Browns

Hassan Hall was the leading rusher for Georgia Tech last season and Thomas was its second-leading tackler on defense. Both players went undrafted in April and signed with the Cleveland Browns after.

Hassan Hall came in as a transfer last season and was in a competition for carries with guys like Dontae Smith and Dylan McDuffie at the start of the season. As the year went on though, Hall took over as the lead back for GT and led the team in rushing with 521 yards. The Yellow Jackets also had one of the worst offensive lines in the country and that made running the ball difficult most of the time and Hall did not get a true chance to show how explosive he can be.

Thomas had a fantastic season that resulted in him earning second-team All-ACC from the AP. He finished the 2022 season with over 100 tackles, had two sacks, two pass deflections, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. He was a constant playmaker for the Yellow Jackets and he is not going to be easy to replace.

Pressley Harvin- Pittsburgh Steelers

Harvin has been one of the best punters in the NFL since joining the Steelers and his roster spot seems to be secure.

Jalen Camp and Shaq Mason- Houston Texans

Houston Texans Wide Receiver Jalen Camp — Will Jalen Camp make the Houston Texans roster in 2023? / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Jalen Camp and Shaq Mason are on a rebuilding team heading into training camp. Mason was traded to the Texans this offseason and signed a big contract extension, making him one of the top-paid guards in the NFL. With some new offseason additions at wide receiver, it could be tough to make the roster for Camp, but here is hoping he will.

Adam Gotsis- Jacksonville Jaguars

Adam Gotsis helped the Jaguars make their first playoff appearance since the 2017 season. Last season, Gotsis tallied 19 tackles, two sacks, and two pass deflections. I think it is safe to assume that Gotsis will make the roster.

Harrison Butker- Kansas City Chiefs

When we last saw former Georgia Tech kicker Harrison Butker, he was hitting the game-winning field goal for the Kansas City Chiefs. Butker has been one of the best kickers in the NFL since entering the league and while he had a bit of a down year in 2022, he is more than safe to make this roster as the Chiefs try to become the first NFL team to repeat as Super Bowl Champions since the New England Patriots in 2003-2004.

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