How good can Georgia Tech's wide receiver room be?

The Yellow Jackets have remade their wide receiving corps this offseason

Jackson Caudell | Jun 25, 2023

How good can Georgia Tech's wide receiver room be? /

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This offseason, Georgia Tech lost their leading receiver to the transfer portal (Nate McCollum) and their 2nd and 3rd leading receivers (EJ Jenkins and Malachi Carter) signed as undrafted free agents in the NFL. Not only are those three guys gone, but running back Hassan Hall is as well and he caught 28 passes for 165 yards. Malik Rutherford is the returning receiver and he had 225 yards last season.

The passing game for Georgia Tech was among the nation's worst last season and for this team to get back to a bowl game, that is going to have to change. Most of the top offenses in the country possess talented and deep wide receiving corp.

With all of that being said, I am bullish on the potential of how good this group can be. Some of that has to do with the talented transfers that have come in and some of it is in part because I expect guys like Rutherford, D.J. Moore, and Avery Boyd, who all showed out in the spring game.

Another reason to be optimistic about this group is the coaching upgrade that I think happened this offseason. Josh Crawford is the new wide receivers coach and Buster Faulkner is now calling the plays on offense. Crawford has shown that he can develop receivers while at Western Kentucky and Faulkner is going to work to get the ball in these guys' hands however he can.

Dominick Blaylock is one of four wide receiver transfers taken by Georgia Tech this offseason / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Rutherford is the receiver that I am most excited about and I think he could be the breakout star on the offensive side of the ball.

💨💨 @MalikRutherford #GTSpring pic.twitter.com/53eqUi7iD4
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) April 15, 2023

In the spring game, he appeared to be the No. 1 target for the quarterbacks and he showcased his speed and game-breaking ability throughout the game.

Rutherford finished the day with seven catches for 154 yards, including a 64-yard catch. He was great after the catch and found a way to make guys miss. The highlight of the day for Rutherford came when he reversed his field and scored a touchdown while making plenty of defenders miss.

This offense needs to be better at creating explosive plays down the field this season and I think Rutherford is going to be a big part of that.

Not only do I think Rutherford is going to be a breakout star, but head coach Brent Key and wide receivers coach Josh Craword heaped praise on him during the spring.

Here is how Key described Rutherford and what makes him special:

"Malik is a guy that really started coming on at the end of the season and if you go back and look at some games at the end of the season and the things that he was doing in a little more limited role, he was someone who really caught our attention then. His love for the game and the energy that he brings, all 150 LBS in his body is full of energy, they really are and he plays like he is 190-200 LBS, he is tough and not afraid to get in there and do the dirty stuff and block and his personality is infectious and he elevates the play of others around him because he has so much energy and he loves playing football.

At the end of the day it is still a game. It is a hard game to go out and practice every day but it is a game and when you can take the qualities of your football team and you can work and prepare every day for the toughness that you have to, the physical toughness, the mental toughness, have the discipline, but still go out there and have fun, that is when you have a chance to do something really good."

Crawford said similar things this spring:

"There is no question that the kid is really special and he is electric and here is the thing... what makes him great on the field is his off-the-field. Great kid, he practices hard every day, tough, just never hurt, he is always available. He ca run a thousand reps in practice and never get tired. All of that also translates into him being a really good football player on top of that so he has God-given talent and ability and he has the intangibles that go along with it so we are excited.

He is a guy that has shown the ability to being able to handle playing multiple positions, very savvy route-runner, picks up everything and a smart player so he is creating value for himself because he is a good player in his own right and he can also play multiple positions so he has been someone that I have been really pleased with."

I think what makes Rutherford a good candidate for a big season is his ability to be used all over the field. He was put in motion and moved across formations often and I think Faulkner will use Malik in many different ways this season.

Boyd and Moore stood out in the spring as well and made big plays. Boyd showed an ability to make contested catches in the red zone.

🔥 @ABoyd723 came to play #GTSpring pic.twitter.com/UnEWZ3xqUi
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) April 15, 2023

TO. THE. HOUSE@zach_pyron_05 ➡️ @DjmooreII pic.twitter.com/7UFl7TcwU1
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) April 15, 2023

Next, let's talk about the four wide receiver transfers brought in, two of which played in the spring.

Christian Leary (Alabama) and Abdul Janneh (Duquesne) participated this spring, while Dominick Blaylock (Georgia) and Chase Lane (Texas A&M) are summer arrivals.

I think the key to this wide receiver room living up to its potential is staying healthy. Both Blaylock and Lane had injuries while at their previous schools.

Last season, Blaylock had 15 catches for 227 yards and averaged over 15.1 yards per catch.

During his three seasons in Athens, Blaylock posted PFF (Pro Football Focus) grades of 78.9 (2019), 60.4 (2021), and 67.6 (2022). He played the most snaps of his career during the 2019 season (181) and graded out with an 80.9 in the passing game and 52.4 in run blocking. After missing the 2020 season with an injury, Blaylock came back and played just 28 snaps during the 2021 season.

Blaylock got above the 100-snap total last season, playing 152 total snaps and getting a 65.9 grade in the passing game and 76.0 in run blocking.

It is clearly not a large snap count for any of the seasons that he played, but there is clearly an upside with Blaylock if he can stay healthy.

Lane was a three-star recruit from Houston, TX in the 2019 class and he committed to play for Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies. Here is what 247Sports national scouting analyst Gabe Brooks wrote about Lane as a prospect:

"High-volume playmaker from a talent-laden private school who put up big numbers as a prep standout. Adequate receiver frame with average height and enough space to add bulk in college. Can line up outside or in the slot. Could provide special teams value in the return game. Shows good run-after-catch ability. Light-footed and agile in the short area. Owns above average long speed. Instinctive receiver who runs to open space. Willing to work the middle. Flashes encouraging high-pointing ability and body control in the red zone. Outstanding production. More than 2,000 receiving yards and 20 TD's in final two high school seasons. Must add bulk and strength to combat Power Five defensive backs. May be more quick than fast. Rounds off routes at times. Will be asked to run a full route tree after getting a ton of touches in the screen game in high school. Faces notable jump in competition going from Texas private school level to P5. Intriguing receiver prospect with the athleticism and instincts to become a Power 5 starter."

Lane redshirted during his first season at Texas A&M and played a total of six snaps according to PFF (Pro Football Focus). He would not have his breakout college season until he was a redshirt freshman in 2020.

During the 2020 season, Lane set his career highs with 29 catches for 409 yards and two touchdowns, while averaging 14.1 yards per catch. He played 633 snaps and received a 64.5 grade on PFF, with a 64.2 grade in the passing game and a 61.0 run-blocking grade

Injuries played a part in the 2021 season for Lane. He played 257 snaps and received a 60.7 grade on PFF, with a 57.1 grade in the passing grade and a 79.0 grade for run blocking. He finished with 12 catches for 132 yards.

Last season, Lane played 224 snaps and received a 52.2 grade from PFF, including a 51.3 in the passing game and 58.1 in run blocking. It was the lowest-graded season for Lane in which he played a significant number of snaps.

For his career, the 6'0 195 LBS wide receiver totaled 48 catches for 617 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 12.9 yards per catch.

Chase Lane is one of several new wide receivers for Georgia Tech this season / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

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."

Janneh is projected to be an outside receiver with his size and ball skills and I think that is the thing that stands out the most when watching him play. Last season, he caught 43 passes for 579 yards and was very good at catching the ball in traffic and winning his matchups. He had a nice 38-yard catch in the spring game and showed those skills.

I will be interested to see where some of these guys line up on the field. Leary and Rutherford possess the body type and frame of slot receivers, but that is where Blaylock lined up most of the time at Georgia according to PFF. Lane, Janneh, Boyd, and Moore project best to the outside. Faulkner will have options of who to use and where and that is something to keep a close eye on.

Now, I am not saying that Georgia Tech's wide receiver room has transformed into Ohio State's or LSU's, but I think it can easily be the best one they have had in years and possibly a top half of the ACC group. I like the additions through the portal and Rutherford, Boyd, and Moore showed their potential talent this spring. Now, they have to show it on the field this fall.

Georgia Tech vs Louisville will kick off on Sept. 1st at 7:30 on ESPN.

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