THE FLATS – Six student-athletes have officially been added to Georgia Tech football’s roster for the 2023 season. The Yellow Jackets’ latest additions include five transfers – wide receiver Dominick Blaylock (Marietta, Ga./Walton H.S./Georgia), defensive back Omar Daniels (Moultrie, Ga./Colquitt County H.S./Kansas State), defensive lineman Eddie Kelly (Orlando, Fla./West Orange H.S./USF), linebacker Paul Moala (Mishawaka, Ind./Penn H.S./Idaho) and offensive lineman Connor Scaglione (Closter, N.J./Northern Valley Regional H.S./Princeton) – and a true freshman, defensive back Justin Brown (Murfreesboro, Tenn./Blackman H.S.).
DOMINICK BLAYLOCK (WR, r-Jr., 6-1, 205, Marietta, Ga./Walton H.S./Georgia)
Georgia (2019-22): Has two seasons of eligibility remaining as a graduate transfer from Georgia … Saw action in 31 games over four seasons at Georgia, including 12-of-14 games as a true freshman in 2019 and all 15 contests as a redshirt sophomore in 2022 … Missed the entire 2020 season and only played in the final four games of the 2021 campaign after sustaining two separate major injuries to the same knee in 2019 and 2020 … Caught 35 passes for 548 yards and six touchdowns and returned 16 punts for 131 yards (8.3 avg.) in just two-plus seasons of game action … Set career highs with 15 receptions, 310 receiving yards, five touchdown catches and 14 punt returns for 128 yards (9.1 avg.) as a true freshman in 2019 … Set all of his single-game career highs as a freshman – four receptions, 112 receiving yards and a 60-yard catch versus Arkansas State (Sept. 14, 2019) and a 32-yard punt return versus Georgia Tech (Nov. 30, 2019) … Made the only tackle of his career on the opening kickoff versus Georgia Tech in 2021.
High School: Rated as a five-star prospect by 247Sports and PrepStar Magazine … Ranked as the No. 8 overall prospect and the No. 1 wide receiver nationally by PrepStar … Rated as the No. 33 overall prospect and the No. 4 wide receiver nationally by ESPN … Three-time all-state honoree … Amassed more than 3,500 yards from scrimmage and scored 52 touchdowns during his prep career at nearby Walton H.S. … Caught 60 passes for 1,052 yards and eight touchdowns and ran for 216 yards and 10 scores on 53 carries while helping lead Walton to a 10-2 record and an appearance in the 7A state quarterfinals as a senior in 2018 … Caught 52 passes for 900 yards and seven touchdowns and ran 38 times for 270 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior in 2017 … Caught 59 passes for 904 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore in 2016, en route to second-team MaxPreps sophomore all-America recognition … Earned MVP honors at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl national combine … Coached by Daniel Brunner.
Personal: Graduated from Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in housing management and policy … Son of Mookie Blaylock, a basketball All-American at Oklahoma (1987-89) and NBA All-Star who played for 13 seasons with the New Jersey Nets (1989-92), Atlanta Hawks (1992-99) and Golden State Warriors (1999-2002).
JUSTIN BROWN (DB, Fr., 6-0, 185, Murfreesboro, Tenn./Blackman H.S.)
High School: Rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN and the No. 14 player in the state of Tennessee by Rivals and 247Sports … Versatile two-way player totaled 62 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions on defense while catching 74 passes for 1,229 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushing for 214 yards and five touchdowns on 28 carries as a senior in 2022 … Also returned 14 kicks for 248 yards (17.7 avg.) during senior campaign … Helped lead Blackman to a 10-3 record and the third round of the Tennessee Class 6A playoffs in 2022 … Caught 69 passes for 1,144 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior in 2021 … Coached by Chandler Tygard.
OMAR DANIELS (DB, r-So., 6-0, 178, Moultrie, Ga./Colquitt County H.S./Kansas State)
Kansas State (2021-22): Has three seasons of eligibility remaining after transferring from Kansas State … Played in 11 games over two seasons as a reserve cornerback at KSU … Made one tackle his collegiate debut in the 2021 Texas Bowl vs. LSU … Played in 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2022 … Had tackles against Missouri and in the Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama during redshirt freshman campaign.
High School: Rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN … Earned first-team all-region honors as a junior and senior … Helped lead Colquitt County to a combined 18-4 record over his final two seasons – 9-3 with a trip to the second round of the Georgia 7A state playoffs in 2019 and 9-1 in 2020 … Recorded 35 tackles, one tackle for loss, four pass breakups and two interceptions as a senior in ’20 … Coached by Justin Rogers.
EDDIE KELLY (DL, So., 6-4, 274, Orlando, Fla./West Orange H.S./USF)
USF (2022): Has three seasons of eligibility remaining after transferring from South Florida … Saw action in 11 games as a true freshman at USF … Totaled 19 tackles, which was tied for third among the team’s defensive linemen … Also recorded 1.5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery … Had at least one stop in each of the Bulls’ first nine games of the season … Had multiple stops in five contests … Turned in his best performance of the season with four tackles (three solo), a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery at Houston (Oct. 29) … Matched his season high with four tackles at Louisville (Sept. 24) … Had three tackles against Tulane (Oct. 15) … Notched two tackles at Florida (Sept. 17) and Temple (Nov. 5) … Two tackles against Florida included a half-TFL.
High School: Rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN … Tabbed as a top-50 defensive end and a top-70 player in the state of Florida in the class of 2022 by Rivals … Ranked No. 15 in the Orlando Sentinel’s Super 60 top recruits in Central Florida … Recorded 71 tackles, including a whopping 23 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks as a senior at West Orange H.S. in 2021 … Helped lead West Orange to an 11-2 record and an appearance in the Florida Class 8A state quarterfinals as a senior … Began his prep career at Orlando Jones H.S., where he primarily played tight end and helped lead Jones to the fourth round of the 2020 Florida Class 5A state playoffs as a junior … Coached at West Orange by Mike Granato.
PAUL MOALA (LB, r-Sr., 6-0, 220, Mishawaka, Ind./Penn H.S./Idaho)
Idaho (2022): Has two seasons of eligibility remaining after transferring from Idaho … Played in all 12 games in his lone season at Idaho … Tied for third on the team with 61 tackles … Led squad with seven tackles for loss … Tied for second on team with two sacks … Tied for third in the Big Sky Conference with a team-high-tying four interceptions … Broke up five passes, which was good for fourth on the squad … Also added a forced fumble and two quarterback hurries … Notched multiple tackles in all 12 games … Had a season-high eight tackles and an interception against Drake (Sept. 17) … Recorded his second-most tackles (6) and most tackles for loss (2) in a game and added a sack and an interception at Montana (Oct. 15) … Also had interceptions against Northern Colorado (Oct. 1) and at Sacramento State (Oct. 29) … Forced a fumble in season opener at Washington State (Sept. 3).
Notre Dame (2018-21): Appeared in 23 games over four seasons at Notre Dame … Saw action in seven games as a true freshman in 2018 and recorded first collegiate tackle in penultimate game of the regular season vs. Syracuse … Recorded 14 tackles, one tackle for loss, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 12 games as a sophomore in 2019 … Forced fumble and fumble recovery came when he intercepted a pitch against Navy, which he returned 27 yards for a touchdown … Saw action in the first three games of the 2020 campaign before sustaining a season-ending injury in Game 3 against Florida State … Five of his seven tackles came in season opener against Duke, which were ND’s third-most stops in the season-opening win … Only appeared in one game – the season opener at Florida State – in 2021.
High School: Rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN … Ranked as the No. 8 overall prospect in the state of Indiana by ESPN … Named Indiana’s 2017 Mr. Football Defensive Back by the Indiana Football Coaches Association ratings board and the Indianapolis Star … Named Northern Indiana Conference North Division MVP and first-team all-conference as a senior in ’17 … Stuffed the stat sheer with 67 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and seven touchdowns (five on kickoff/punt returns, two on receptions) as a senior … Helped lead Penn to a 13-2 record and 2017 Indiana 6A state championship game appearance as a senior … Coached by Cory Yeoman.
CONNOR SCAGLIONE (OL, r-Sr., 6-4, 305, Closter, N.J./North Valley Regional H.S./Princeton)
Princeton (2018-22): Has one season of eligibility remaining as a graduate transfer from Princeton … Played in 31 games at right tackle and right guard over four seasons at Princeton (2018-19, 2021-22 – Ivy League did not play football during 2020-21 academic year due to Covid-19 pandemic) … Appeared in three games as a freshman in 2018, helping Princeton to the Ivy League championship and its first undefeated season since 1964 … Appeared in nine games with one start in 2019 … Started all 10 games for the Tigers in 2021, helping anchor a high-powered offense that ranked first in the Ivy League in scoring (33.4 ppg), second in passing (265.5 ypg), second in passing efficiency (147.0) and third in total offense (392.4 ypg) … Started nine games in 2022, once again helping lead a prolific offense that led the Ivy League in passing (274.2 ypg) and ranked second in the conference in scoring (27.8 ppg).
High School: Ranked No. 109 on the list of Top 250 NCAA Division I FCS recruits by Hero Sports … Recorded 119 tackles and 9.5 sacks as a senior in 2017, en route to first team all-state, all-group and all-league honors … Was also a New Jersey State Defensive Player of the Year nominee and helped lead team to state semifinals as a senior … Played offensive line, defensive line and tight end during prep career … Coached Tony Mattola … Earned 12 varsity letters in high school – four apiece in football, basketball and track and field … Two-year captain in both football and track … Recorded fifth-best discus throw in the state of New Jersey … Two-time first-team all-county in the shot put … Helped lead team to sectional title in basketball … News 12 New Jersey Scholar-Athlete of the Week … Member of National Honor Society.
Personal: Cousin, Stan Walters, played football at Syracuse (1970-71), was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the ninth round of the 1972 NFL Draft, had a 12-year NFL career with the Bengals (1972-74) and Philadelphia Eagles (1975-83) and was a two-time Pro Bowler (1978, 1979), a second-team All-Pro (1979) and is a member of the Syracuse all-century team and Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame … Connor is an Eagle Scout.
The six newest Yellow Jackets joined Georgia Tech’s other newcomers in arriving on campus this week in preparation for summer classes and workouts.
Georgia Tech football season tickets, which guarantee the best seats and value for all of the exciting action of Tech’s seven home games in 2023 – including the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game versus Louisville on Sept. 1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the Nov. 25 regular-season finale versus archrival Georgia at Bobby Dodd Stadium – are on sale now, starting at just $225. For more information and to purchase season tickets online, click HERE.
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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