Defensive lines have always been paper thin at Georgia Tech, but the transition from Al Groh's ill-advised 3-4 strategy to the 4-man fronts of Ted Roof hasn't been easy especially because of one bad recruiting class. Tech has typically had to develop DL over time especially DTs with guys blossoming as a R-JRs or SRs like T.J. Barnes, Euclid Cummings, Vance Walker, Daryl Richard and Joe Anoa'i and so on.
Last Saturday senior defensive tackle Adam Gotsis was ejected from the UNC game and without the other starter Pat Gamble the Jackets found themselves shorthanded with just Jabari Hunt and a non-starter quality body Francis Kallon. The Jackets ended up burning Kyle Cerge-Henderson's redshirt in the game. At defensive end, Rod Rook-Chungong is banged up so Antonio Simmons slides over to SDE, not his best spot and KeShun Freeman is forced to play an entire game at RDE reducing both players' effectiveness. The two sophomores should probably share one job, but can't because of a lack of size and experience on the line.
How they got here a recruiting explanation of DLs:
2011 Class (5):
DE- Chaz Cheeks- graduated early never cracked the two-deep after being recruited as a rush OLB/DE.
DT- Jimmie Kitchen- kicked off the team for academics prior to 2014 season.
DE- Kyle Travis- mostly a special teams player recruited as a ILB in the 3-4, played all four years.
DE- Nick Menocal- hybrid LB/DE had a decent frame but was a tweener in the 4-3 too small to play DE at a high level and left early to pursue other football options.
DT- Jabari Hunt- recruited as a Jack LB in the 3-4, grew into a DE sized player, probably playing too big at DT now compared to his skill set, should probably play SDE, but his size is needed inside.
2012 Class the best of the middle years (4):
DE- Rod Rook-Chungong- a mid-tier ACC DE, very steady and if ever healthy for a long stretch could develop into a decent player.
DT- Francis Kallon- all the physical tools, but learned football late in life, passion for the game remains his biggest obstacle.
DT- Pat Gamble- one of two really good DTs signed in the 2012 class, but is more of a 3-4 DE than a true DT.
DT- Adam Gotsis- the Aussie gem is like Gamble probably best suited as a 3-4 DE and he should have a future in the NFL at that position. All-ACC level DT though.
2013 the missing link where the DL got screwed up (3 signed, none played a down of football):
The transition back to the 4-3 happens with this class.
DT- Justin Akins- strong body had a chance to be a decent 3-techinique but only last one year at Tech due to off the field issues.
DE- Kevin Robbins- was unhappy with school at Tech and left after one year, highly touted out of HS, now at Ohio University.
DT- Darius Commissiong- the nose tackle type out of this class opted to leave after one year because of off the field issues and is now at ECU after JUCO year.
2014 (4 signed, no freaking DTs): the rebuild without DTs again....
DE- KeShun Freeman- up and comer at DE, still struggles playing too many snaps and is still a bit undersized.
DE- Tyler Merriweather- redshirting this year, played a little as a true frosh.
DE- Antonio Simmons- like Freeman growing into his body, but shows some flashes especially as a pass rusher, has played two years now.
DE- Kenderius Whitehead- miscast pass rush only guy, should be a 3-4 OLB and hasn't seen the field other than mop up duty since transferring from GMC via NC State.
2015 (5) DT rebuild year signed three true DTs and a tweener:
DT- Brentavious Glanton- very skilled DT out of HS, needs to develop his body.
DT- Kyle Cerge-Henderson- would have been more highly recruited if a little bigger. Has good skill base to develop and some toughness.
DT- Scott Morgan- best frame of the three frosh DTs but also the most raw and he needs some time to develop.
DE- Anree Saint-Amour- Great frame and some serious pass rush skills and he could end up being the SDE that GT has been looking for since Derrick Morgan left if he can fully develop.
DT/DE- Trent Sellers- the biggest project of the group, but has a nice frame and his dad blew up in college into a big DL sized guy so the hope is he will grow into a DT. Not very dynamic as a SDE, but could develop into a player like Rook several years in.
So Georgia Tech signed 21 possible DLs that could theoretically have been eligible this year but only 14 were actually on the roster as of the opening of the season.
Last Saturday senior defensive tackle Adam Gotsis was ejected from the UNC game and without the other starter Pat Gamble the Jackets found themselves shorthanded with just Jabari Hunt and a non-starter quality body Francis Kallon. The Jackets ended up burning Kyle Cerge-Henderson's redshirt in the game. At defensive end, Rod Rook-Chungong is banged up so Antonio Simmons slides over to SDE, not his best spot and KeShun Freeman is forced to play an entire game at RDE reducing both players' effectiveness. The two sophomores should probably share one job, but can't because of a lack of size and experience on the line.
How they got here a recruiting explanation of DLs:
2011 Class (5):
DE- Chaz Cheeks- graduated early never cracked the two-deep after being recruited as a rush OLB/DE.
DT- Jimmie Kitchen- kicked off the team for academics prior to 2014 season.
DE- Kyle Travis- mostly a special teams player recruited as a ILB in the 3-4, played all four years.
DE- Nick Menocal- hybrid LB/DE had a decent frame but was a tweener in the 4-3 too small to play DE at a high level and left early to pursue other football options.
DT- Jabari Hunt- recruited as a Jack LB in the 3-4, grew into a DE sized player, probably playing too big at DT now compared to his skill set, should probably play SDE, but his size is needed inside.
2012 Class the best of the middle years (4):
DE- Rod Rook-Chungong- a mid-tier ACC DE, very steady and if ever healthy for a long stretch could develop into a decent player.
DT- Francis Kallon- all the physical tools, but learned football late in life, passion for the game remains his biggest obstacle.
DT- Pat Gamble- one of two really good DTs signed in the 2012 class, but is more of a 3-4 DE than a true DT.
DT- Adam Gotsis- the Aussie gem is like Gamble probably best suited as a 3-4 DE and he should have a future in the NFL at that position. All-ACC level DT though.
2013 the missing link where the DL got screwed up (3 signed, none played a down of football):
The transition back to the 4-3 happens with this class.
DT- Justin Akins- strong body had a chance to be a decent 3-techinique but only last one year at Tech due to off the field issues.
DE- Kevin Robbins- was unhappy with school at Tech and left after one year, highly touted out of HS, now at Ohio University.
DT- Darius Commissiong- the nose tackle type out of this class opted to leave after one year because of off the field issues and is now at ECU after JUCO year.
2014 (4 signed, no freaking DTs): the rebuild without DTs again....
DE- KeShun Freeman- up and comer at DE, still struggles playing too many snaps and is still a bit undersized.
DE- Tyler Merriweather- redshirting this year, played a little as a true frosh.
DE- Antonio Simmons- like Freeman growing into his body, but shows some flashes especially as a pass rusher, has played two years now.
DE- Kenderius Whitehead- miscast pass rush only guy, should be a 3-4 OLB and hasn't seen the field other than mop up duty since transferring from GMC via NC State.
2015 (5) DT rebuild year signed three true DTs and a tweener:
DT- Brentavious Glanton- very skilled DT out of HS, needs to develop his body.
DT- Kyle Cerge-Henderson- would have been more highly recruited if a little bigger. Has good skill base to develop and some toughness.
DT- Scott Morgan- best frame of the three frosh DTs but also the most raw and he needs some time to develop.
DE- Anree Saint-Amour- Great frame and some serious pass rush skills and he could end up being the SDE that GT has been looking for since Derrick Morgan left if he can fully develop.
DT/DE- Trent Sellers- the biggest project of the group, but has a nice frame and his dad blew up in college into a big DL sized guy so the hope is he will grow into a DT. Not very dynamic as a SDE, but could develop into a player like Rook several years in.
So Georgia Tech signed 21 possible DLs that could theoretically have been eligible this year but only 14 were actually on the roster as of the opening of the season.
