Feb. 2, 2011
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech signed 22 high school seniors, including 20 from Georgia and neighboring states, to national letters of intent to play football for the Yellow Jackets, head coach Paul Johnson announced Wednesday.
The signing class has a local flavor with 10 prospects from the state of Georgia. In each of Johnson’s last three recruiting classes he has signed at least 10 players from the Peach State. In all, Tech’s signing class comes from seven states, including four from Florida, three from North Carolina, two from Alabama and one each from Illinois, New Jersey and Tennessee.
The Yellow Jackets addressed needs at linebacker (eight signees), offensive line (four) and running back (three). Tech returns just two starters on the offensive line in 2011.
“I think we addressed our needs and signed a very balanced, talented group,” Johnson said. “We are excited about this class and feel like we have a number of players who are not only quality players, but quality young men as well.”
One of the signees, Trey Braun of Tallahassee, Fla., enrolled at Georgia Tech in January. The remaining 21 incoming freshmen will arrive in August.
The 22-man class is Georgia Tech’s largest since signing 23 in 2004.
“I thought our staff did a nice job working this year to put together a class we feel really good about,” Johnson said.
The Yellow Jackets signed three players from North Carolina – the first time since 1996 that the Yellow Jackets made a recruiting effort in that state. Highly-touted quarterback Vad Lee (Durham), linebacker Tremayne McNair (Jacksonville) and defensive back Domonique Noble (Mount Ulla) will all head south from North Carolina.
The state of Georgia remains to produce the majority of Yellow Jackets. Ten players from Georgia are in this class, including linebacker Jabari Hunt-Days (Marietta), the brother of Tech redshirt freshman quarterback Synjyn Days. The Jackets received commitments from a pair of Starr’s Mill High School standouts, wide receiver Jeff Greene and running back Zach Laskey.
Other Georgians to sign with Tech include Bryan Chamberlain (Albany), Chaz Cheeks (Gainesville), Chris Milton (Folkston), Demontevious Smith (Monroe), Broderick Snoddy (Carrollton), Kyle Travis (Cumming) and Darren Waller (Acworth).
Tech continued to enjoy recruiting success in the state of Florida, where it has signed at least one player every season since 1999. This year’s class includes four from the Sunshine State – Braun, Anthony Harrell (Tampa), Errin Joe (Lakeland) and Nick Menocal (Miami). Harrell is the latest in a line of players from Tampa’s Jesuit High School to attend Georgia Tech, following former Jacket Anthony Allen and current Tech players Phil Smith and Michael Peterson.
Alabama, which has produced at least one Yellow Jacket signee in each of the last eight years, is the home of two Tech signees – Corey Dennis (Troy) and Jamal Golden (Wetumpka). Golden, a standout quarterback on the prep level, comes from the same high school as Georgia Tech junior QB Tevin Washington.
Tech dipped into Tennessee for an offensive lineman – Columbia’s Shaquille (Shaq) Mason – for the second time in three years. The 2009 class included current Yellow Jacket guard Will Jackson.
The Jackets signed one player from Illinois – Tyler Marcordes (Normal) – for the first time since 1996, and a player from New Jersey – Sean Tobin (Holmdel) – for the first time since 2001.
Georgia Tech 2011 Football Signees
| Player | Pos | Ht | Wt | Hometown | High School |
| Trey Braun | OL | 6-5 | 305 | Tallahassee, Fla. | Leon HS |
| Bryan Chamberlain | OL | 6-4 | 291 | Albany, Ga. | Monroe HS |
| Chaz Cheeks | LB | 6-4 | 223 | Gainesville, Ga. | East Hall HS |
| Corey Dennis | WR/DB | 6-2 | 205 | Troy, Ala. | Charles Henderson HS |
| Jamal Golden | DB | 6-0 | 185 | Wetumpka, Ala. | Wetumpka HS |
| Jeff Greene | WR | 6-4 | 200 | Peachtree City, Ga. | Starr’s Mill HS |
| Anthony Harrell | LB | 6-2 | 225 | Tampa, Fla. | Jesuit HS |
| Jabari Hunt-Days | LB | 6-3 | 226 | Marietta, Ga. | Hillgrove HS |
| Errin Joe | OL | 6-3 | 285 | Lakeland, Fla. | Lake Gibson HS |
| Zach Laskey | RB | 6-1 | 185 | Peachtree City, Ga. | Starr’s Mill HS |
| Vad Lee | QB | 6-1 | 195 | Durham, N.C. | Hillside HS |
| Tyler Marcordes | LB | 6-4 | 215 | Normal, Ill. | Normal Community West HS |
| Shaquille Mason | OL | 6-1 | 305 | Columbia, Tenn. | Columbia Central HS |
| Tremayne McNair | LB | 6-2 | 225 | Jacksonville, N.C. | White Oak HS |
| Nick Menocal | LB | 6-3 | 240 | Miami, Fla. | Belen Jesuit Prep School |
| Chris Milton | RB | 5-11 | 175 | Folkston, Ga. | Charlton County HS |
| Domonique Noble | DB | 6-2 | 185 | Mount Ulla, N.C. | West Rowan HS |
| Demontevious Smith | QB/DB | 6-0 | 173 | Monroe, Ga. | Monroe Area HS |
| Broderick Snoddy | RB | 5-9 | 190 | Carrollton, Ga. | Carrollton HS |
| Sean Tobin | SN/LB | 6-3 | 220 | Holmdel, N.J. | Saint John Vianney HS |
| Kyle Travis | LB | 6-3 | 235 | Cumming, Ga. | South Forsyth HS |
| Darren Waller | WR/DB | 6-5 | 204 | Acworth, Ga. | North Cobb HS |
