[ad_1]
Georgia Tech is hoping for an improved passing attack this offseason and to do that, some guys will be required to step up to the wide receiver position. Two of the kids who played last year, Kirk McGowan and Adonica Sanders, are gone and that leaves some gaps in the attack.
I divide wide receivers into two positions: outside receiver and slot receiver. I think one thing I’m looking forward to this season is that Chip Long won’t be used much in the offense due to using a lot of tight end sets at slot receiver.
Malachi Carter will be the top receiver heading into fall camp and will be considered the leader this fall as the returning leading receiver. Carter finished with 37 catches for 489 yards last season, despite inconsistent quarterback play. If Jeff Sims stays healthy and improves as a quarterback, Carter could see a bump in production.
The guy I and most Georgia Tech fans are ready to see on the field is Leo Blackburn. Blackburn is a former four-star recruit who did not play last season due to injury. At 6-5 220 LBS, I think Blackburn will be a problem with his size and athleticism and be a potential star for the Yellow Jackets in 2022.
With McGowan gone, his position must be filled. The guy I think is most likely to step into the slot receiver role is Nate McCollum. McCollum played some in 2022, catching 13 passes for over 100 yards, but he will need to play a bigger role in this offense.
There are some young receivers that have come through the recent recruiting classes that need to step up and bring depth. James Blackstrain was a four-star recruit in the 2021 class who didn’t see any game action last season. He was a top 300 player in the country in high school and could be a threat on the outside.
Kalani Norris caught eight passes last season and will likely be a primary backup or rotation player. He had a solid spring and can be counted on to continue to improve.
Malik Rutherford played in three games last season and had a strong game against eventual ACC champion Pitt, catching five passes for 62 yards. He didn’t put up any other stats, but could be the primary backup slot receiver.
Other names worth noting at the receiver include DJ Moore, Julian Lewis and Ryan King.
Wide receiver depth chart projections:
Since X Receiver: Leo Blackburn
Backup: James Blackstrain
Starting Z Receiver: Malachi Carter
Backup: Kalani Norris
Starting slot receiver: Nate McCollum
Backup: Malik Rutherford
Follow us on social media for the latest on Georgia Tech athletics.
Facebook: All Yellow Jackets
Twitter: @AllYellowJacket
Follow Jackson on Twitter: @jacksoncaudell
Check out all the latest Georgia Tech news at AllYellowJackets.com
More Georgia Tech related content:
Georgia Tech football: Ranking the wide receiver/tight end teams by Tech schedule
Georgia Tech basketball presents 2024 guard Sir Muhammad
2024 Top 50 Player Isaiah Evans Accepts Georgia Tech Basketball Offer
Georgia Tech football: Running back depth chart projections ahead of fall camp
Georgia Tech football fall camp preview: Offensive line
Georgia Tech was projected to finish sixth in the ACC Coastal Division.
Georgia Tech football depth: Quarterback depth chart projections ahead of fall camp
Georgia Tech football: Ranking Georgia Tech’s best running backs in 2022
[ad_2]
Source link