Football Signing Day

Feb. 4, 2004

Wide receiver Calvin Johnson and defensive linemen David Brown, Darryl Richard and Darrell Robertson headline Georgia Tech’s 2004 football signees, a group of 23 prospective student-athletes who signed national letters of intent with the Yellow Jackets Wednesday.

Tech head coach Chan Gailey welcomes a group that includes five defensive linemen, four offensive linemen, two linebackers, three wide receivers, three running backs, two defensive backs, one combination linebacker/safety, one quarterback, one tight end and one kicker.

“Defensive line, wide receiver and offensive line were three areas of emphasis for us, and we think we were able to get some quality players at those three positions,” said Gailey, who is entering his third season at Tech.

Eleven signees are from the state of Georgia, while eight other states are represented, including Florida (three), Alabama (two), Texas (two), Pennsylvania (two), Louisiana (one), Missouri (one), Rhode Island (one), Nebraska (one).

Johnson, a 6-4, 215-pounder from Tyrone, Ga., and Sandy Creek High School, has been rated among the top 10 wide receivers in nation and among the top five players in Georgia and top 100 in the nation by virtually every recruiting service. A first-team all-state selection, he totalled 80 receptions, 1,479 yards and 18 touchdowns over this junior and senior seasons.

Tech also added a pair of Floridians at the receiver position in James Johnson, 6-0, 180, of Oakland, Fla., and West Orange High, and 5-10, 175-pound Pat Clark of Jacksonville’s Mandarin High.

The group of defensive linemen is perhaps the most highly- rated collection at the position that Tech has ever signed in one year. In addition to the trio of Brown, of Madison, Ala., Robertson, of Jonesboro (Ga.,) High, and Richard of Destrehan, La., Tech also signed Elris Anyaibe, a 6-3, 275-pound tackle from DeSoto, Texas, and 6-6, 225-pound defensive end A.J. Smith, an all-state player from Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit.

Brown, 6-3, 255, Robertson, 6-5, 205, and Richard, 6-4, 285, were each named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Super Southern 100. Brown was rated among the top 10 players in Alabama, Richard among the top 15 in Louisiana and Robertson among the top 30 prospects in Georgia. Each ranks among the top 30 defensive linemen in the nation according to various publications.

Richard and Robertson were undecided on their choice of school until Signing Day.

“We added two fine football players today, and we didn’t know how it was going to go for either one,” said Gailey. “They were choosing among some great schools, so we were fortunate to get two very good players today.”

Among the offensive linemen that Tech signed are Calvin Johnson’s Sandy Creek teammate Andrew Gardner, 6-6, 250, as well as 6-5, 290-pound Jacob Lonowski of Elkhorn, Neb., 6-4, 290-pound Nathan McManus of Mountain Brook High in Birmingham, Ala., and 6-5, 310 Kieran Delaney of Bristol, R.I., who prepped at Avon Old Farms School in Connecticut.

“A couple of them are tall and not as heavy, but they’re going to be big men before it’s over,” said Gailey of the offensive line quartet. “In today’s game, that’s what you’d better have.”

Kyle Manley, 6-2, 185, of Class AA Georgia state champion Buford High School is one of two new quarterbacks to join the program. Lefthander Taylor Bennett of Lafayette High in St. Louis, Mo., is already enrolled at Tech and will participate in spring practice.

Tech signed two of the top linebackers in the state of Georgia in 6-0, 215-pound Travis Chambers of Chamblee High and 6-2, 220-pound Gary Guyton of Bradwell Institute in Hinesville, Ga. Both were tabbed to the Top 50 in Georgia by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Chambers was the newpaper’s Defensive Player of the Year in Class AAAA.

“I’m so excited to watch Travis Chambers play,” said Gailey. “If you time him and weigh him and measure him, none of those stats are going to jump out at you. But put the film on. He dominated at his level of play, and I’m anxious and excited about watching him play because he makes tackle after tackle.

Another Top 50 in Georgia player is Eric Williams of Metter High, a 6-3, 200-pounder who could play safety or outside linebacker. Two more in-state defensive backs joined the fold in cornerback Jamal Lewis, Robertson’s teammate at Jonesboro High, and safety Djay Jones of St. Mary’s, Ga., and Class AAAAA state champion Camden County High.

Tech also added two running backs in Drew Gause, 5-8, 205, of Spring, Texas, and Mike Cox, a 6-2, 248-pounder from Lewisberry, Pa., plus another Pennsylvanian at fullback in 6-1, 228-pound Justin Guadagni from Glassport.

Of the two tailbacks, Gailey said, “Mike Cox is a big, burly guy. He’s got enough speed, but he’s more of a Jerome Bettis-type big back. Drew Gause is a fast guy. He’s thick, but he can run.”

Rounding out the class are a pair of Georgians in punter/placekicker Kyle Belcher of Deerfield-Windsor Academy in Albany, and tight end Jon Morrison of Marietta High School.

Eight of Tech’s 11 Georgia signees were named by the Atlanta Journal-Constititution to either the Super Southern 100 or the Top 50 in Georgia.

“Obviously we think that every guy we signed has a chance to help us and be a good player at some point in the future,” said Gailey. “Some are more ready to play than others in the immediate future, and some have higher so-called ratings than others, but we think they all have a chance to help us win a championship.

“I think a lot of these guys could see that the future is very bright at Georgia Tech, that we have some things in place to get us in position to be where we’d like to be in the next few years.”

All 23 signees are fully qualified academically.

“We want to make sure we find the strongest academic, great athletes that we can find,” said Gailey. “They’re out there, you’ve just got to work hard at recruiting in order to find these guys that are great students and great athletes who can help you win a championship.”

ElrisAnyaibeDL6-3, 275DeSoto, Texas (DeSoto) Kyle BelcherPK/P6-4, 200Albany, Ga. (Deerfield-Windsor)David BrownDL6-3, 255Madison, Ala. (Bob Jones) Travis ChambersLB6-0, 215Decatur, Ga. (Chamblee) Pat ClarkWR5-10, 175Jacksonville, Fla. (Mandarin) Mike CoxRB6-2, 248Lewisberry, Pa. (Red Land) Kieran DelaneyOL6-5, 310Bristol, R.I. (Avon, Conn., Old Farms)Andrew GardnerOL6-6, 250Tyrone, Ga. (Sandy Creek) Drew GauseRB5-8, 205Spring, Texas (Spring) Justin GuadagniFB6-1, 228Glassport, Pa. (South Allegheny)Gary GuytonLB6-2, 220Hinesville, Ga. (Bradwell Institute)Calvin JohnsonWR6-4, 215Tyrone, Ga. (Sandy Creek) James JohnsonWR6-0, 180Oakland, Fla. (West Orange) Djay JonesDB6-1, 185St. Mary’s, Ga. (Camden County) Jamal LewisDB6-0, 170Jonesboro, Ga. (Jonesboro) Jacob LonowskiOL6-5, 290Elkhorn, Neb. (Elkhorn) Kyle ManleyQB6-2, 185Buford, Ga. (Buford) Nate McManusOL6-4, 290Birmingham, Ala. (Mountain Brook)Jon MorrisonTE6-5, 235Marietta, Ga. (Marietta) Darryl RichardDL6-4, 285Destrehan, La. (Destrehan) Darrell RobertsonDL6-5, 205Jonesboro, Ga. (Jonesboro) A.J. SmithDE6-6, 225Tampa, Fla. (Jesuit) Eric WilliamsDB/LB6-3, 200Metter, Ga. (Metter)