Which Defensive Transfer Will Have The Biggest Impact For Georgia Tech In 2023?

Georgia Tech has brought in three defensive transfers for next season

Georgia Tech saw good defensive improvement from 2021 to 2022, but they are going to have to be replacing some of their key players from last year's defense. 

The Yellow Jackets are going to be losing their top pass rusher (Keion White) and their top two linebackers (Ace Eley and Charlie Thomas). Eley and Thomas were not only the two leading tacklers for Georgia Tech last season, but they were great leaders for the locker room and did a lot of different things defensively. All three guys are going to be tough to replace, but Georgia Tech has brought in some transfers to help ease the losses and they will also be relying on players that are already on the team. 

For the purpose of this article though, let's focus on the transfers. 

Transfer linebacker Braelen Oliver should see early playing time next season / Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Until this week, the Yellow Jackets only had two transfers on defense and they were both at linebacker. Earlier this week, however, Georgia Tech added some needed help on the defensive line with the addition of Clemson transfer defensive lineman Etinosa Reuben. 

Reuben is a former three-star recruit and top 500 player from Park Hill South High School in Missouri and during his time with the Clemson Tigers, Reuben tallied 19 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

Here is what 247Sports national recruiting analyst Brian Dohn had to say about Reuben when he was coming out of high school:

"Interesting frame because of length and shoulder width. A bit of a tweener between defensive end/defensive tackle. Can play defensive end or add weight and move to defensive tackle. Good get-off at snap. Quick, violent hands makes it hard for blockers to engage. Strong and powerful when firing off ball. Can re-direct down line of scrimmage. Has some twitch. Covers ground well in first three steps. Good body control. Needs to add flexibility to bend. Developing technique and combining moves important to taking next step as player. Lower body strength development needed. Speed chasing down plays must improve. Multi-year contributor with starting ability at elite program if off-field development continues. Late round NFL draft pick or free agent."

Due to his size (6'3, 295 LBS), I think Reuben is most likely going to be playing on the interior of the defensive line along with guys like Makius Scott and D'Quan Douse, who both finished the season strong in 2022. He could also play on the edge and it will be interesting to see how new defensive line coach Marco Coleman uses Reuben next season.

Etinosa Reuben is going to be a versatile player for Georgia Tech next season :: Ken Ruinard / USA TODAY NETWORK

The first linebacker and defensive transfer commit that Georgia Tech got this offseason was Braelen Oliver from Minnesota (Oliver did play his high school football in the state of Georgia). For his career, Oliver has amassed 79 tackles, three pass deflections, 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. I fully expect Oliver to challenge for one of the starting spots that have been vacated by Eley and Thomas. Not only are they leaving, but Demetrius Knight II transferred to Charlotte. Oliver is going to have a chance to start right away. 

My pick however for the top impact transfer player on the defense next season is going to be linebacker Andrew White Jr (Texas A&M). During his career in College Station, White tallied up 61 tackles, six pass deflections, one forced fumble, and an interception. He was a four-star recruit in the 2019 class. 

White is a physical player and I think he can be an effective player blitzing as well as in run support. New co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Kevin Sherrer is going to be glad to have an experienced and physical player like White on the defense. 

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