No Yellow Jackets on Preseason All-ACC team

Georgia Tech opened fall camp yesterday

The preseason first-team All-ACC was released this morning and zero Georgia Tech players were included. 

Yellow Jackets safety LaMiles Brooks was one of the biggest snubs on the ballot and was worthy of consideration. Brooks is one of the best safeties in the country. 

Brooks finished as the highest-graded player on Georgia Tech last according to PFF (Pro Football Focus) and his coverage grade of 86.8 was good for 21st in the country and fourth in the ACC. He finished as the 23rd highest-graded safety in the country according to PFF last season.

Brooks finished the season with 52 tackles and a team-leading three interceptions. His best performance came in a loss to Virginia when he finished with nine tackles and a pick-six. Brooks was the best player on the field that night and I expect more performances like that from Brooks in the future.

He possesses the size to be a first-round pick as well at 6'2 192 LBS and is a physical tackler. He is going to be the new leader of the Yellow Jackets' defense with Charlie Thomas, Ace Eley, and Keion White gone.

The first-team safeties on defense were Miami's Kam Kinchens and Clemson's Andrew Mukuba. 

No Georgia Tech players made the first-team All-ACC / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye was voted the preseason player of the year in the ACC, with Florida State's Jordan Travis finishing in second. 

Not only are there no Yellow Jackets on the preseason All-ACC team, but Georgia Tech was also picked to finish 12th in the conference. When head coach Brent Key was asked about this after practice yesterday, he had pretty clear thoughts on it: 

"I could care less, they could less, I could care less. Games are played on the field and I know it is that time of year when it is exciting to see the rankings and see those things and have a lot of good talking points for the next three or four weeks and that is what makes college football a passion and that is what it is, its the passion for the people that cover it, it is a passion for you guys, it's what yall do and helps you put information together but it means nothing to me. If I was not coaching I would be right there with you guys, reading them all and making the predictions, but not for us. Those external things have zero factor on how we come out and practice everyday"

At the end of the day, every player on the team is going to have a shot to make an All-ACC team at the end of the year. 

Georgia Tech kicks off its 2023 season against Louisville on Sept. 1st at 7:30 on ESPN. 

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