THE FLATS – Five former Georgia Tech football student-athletes joined National Football League teams as undrafted free agents on Saturday evening. The newest Yellow Jackets in the NFL include offensive lineman Devin Cochran (Cincinnati Bengals), running back Jordan Mason (San Francisco 49ers), wide receiver Kyric McGowan (Washington Commanders), defensive back Tre Swilling (Tennessee Titans) and defensive back Juanyeh Thomas (Dallas Cowboys).
Cochran (Norcross, Ga./Greater Atlanta Christian) played just one season at Georgia Tech (2021) after beginning his collegiate career with three seasons at Vanderbilt (2017-19). In his lone season as a Yellow Jacket, he started all 12 games at left tackle and was an honorable-mention all-Atlantic Coast Conference selection.
Mason (Gallatin, Tenn./Gallatin) ranks 11th in Georgia Tech history with 2,349 rushing yards. He amassed 2,551 total yards from scrimmage (2,349 rushing, 202 receiving) and 18 touchdowns (17 rushing, one receiving) during his four seasons as a Yellow Jacket (2018-21), including 899 rushing yards and seven scores as a sophomore in 2019, when he earned third-team all-ACC honors.
McGowan (Dalton, Ga./Dalton) also spent just one season with the Jackets (2021) after helping lead Northwestern to two Big Ten Championship Game appearances in four seasons (2017-20). In his lone season at Tech, McGowan caught 37 passes for 467 yards and seven touchdowns. His seven touchdown receptions ranked eighth in the ACC. He also earned ACC all-academic team recognition.
Swilling (New Orleans, La./Brother Martin) started 40 of his 42 games at cornerback for Georgia Tech. In four seasons for the Yellow Jackets (2017-21), he was credited with 23 passes defended and had two interceptions, to go along with 100 tackles (5.5 for loss, two sacks). He was an honorable-mention all-ACC selection after tying for 10th in the conference with 11 passes defended as a sophomore in 2019 and was a two-time all-ACC academic team honoree (2018 and 2021).
Thomas earned true freshman all-America honors from 247Sports as a kick returner in 2018 and was an honorable-mention all-ACC performer as a defensive back in 2021. He played 47 games in four seasons at Georgia Tech (2018-21) and made 33 starts at safety, including 27-straight to close his collegiate career. He set five school records after returning two kickoffs for touchdowns as a freshman and finished his career with 215 tackles, eight tackles for loss, a sack, four interceptions, 16 passes defended and five forced fumbles.
The five undrafted free agents give Georgia Tech six total NFL rookies. Defensive back Tariq Carpenter was selected in the seventh round of the NFL Draft on Saturday by the Green Bay Packers. Tech has had at least one offensive or defensive player selected in three-straight NFL Drafts for the first time since 2014-16.
2022 GEORGIA TECH FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS
With less than 200 days to go before Georgia Tech football’s highly anticipated season opener versus Clemson at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, 2022 season tickets are on sale now. The Yellow Jackets’ attractive 2022 home slate includes the Jackets’ Sept. 5 opener versus Clemson in the second edition of Tech’s “Mayhem at Mercedes-Benz Stadium” series, as well as showdowns with Ole Miss (Sept. 17), Virginia (Oct. 20) and Miami (Nov. 12) at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Season tickets, which include all six games on the Jackets’ home schedule and exclusive perks such as exclusive concessions and merchandise discounts at Bobby Dodd Stadium, priority access to parking and tickets for away games and discounts on admission to the College Football Hall of Fame and Illuminarium Atlanta, begin at just $299.
To become a Georgia Tech football season ticket member, click HERE to purchase tickets online or click HERE to be contacted by a member of the Georgia Tech athletics tickets sales team. For more information, call the Georgia Tech athletics ticket office at 888-TECH-TIX or visit ramblinwreck.com/footballtickets.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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