ATLANTA- Georgia Tech first-year head coach Paul Johnson announced Wednesday the signing of 20 highly-touted high school seniors to national letters of intent, including eight from Georgia.
"I am very pleased with this class," said Johnson, who was hired to take over the Yellow Jacket football program Dec. 7. "We feel like this is a group of kids who will work hard and who are extremely excited about coming to Georgia Tech.
"I think we were able to recruit quality kids while filling some needs at every position group. I think we have some good fits for what we want to do on offense and defense. My staff worked very hard to produce solid results in a short amount of time."
Johnson's first recruiting class includes prospects from seven states, including six from Florida. The Yellow Jackets also signed two players from Alabama and Ohio and one each from California and Texas.
Two of the 20 signees are quarterbacks Jaybo Shaw (Flowery Branch) and Tevin Washington (Wetumpka, Ala.). Tech signed three offensive linemen, including highly-regarded Georgia products Omoregie Uzzi (Chamblee) and Nick McRae (Dublin). The Yellow Jackets also received letters from three running backs, three linebackers, two quarterbacks, two defensive linemen and two receivers.
The list of 20 does not include Tyler Melton (Houston, Texas), who was part of the 2007 recruiting class but did not enroll at Georgia Tech until last month. Melton, a wide receiver, will be a freshman in 2008.
2008 Georgia Tech Football Signees
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. High School Hometown
T.J. Barnes DT 6-7 325 Enterprise HS Enterprise, Ala.
Brandon Leslie S 6-0 195 Edison HS Fresno, Calif.
Jon Lockhart CB 6-0 190 Blountstown HS Blountstown, Fla.
B.J. Machen LB 6-1 225 Hilliard Darby HS Hilliard, Ohio
Daniel McKayhan WR 6-0 180 Martin Luther King, Jr. HS Decatur, Ga.
Nick McRae C 6-4 290 Dublin HS Dublin, Ga.
Malcolm Munroe LB 6-3 215 Coral Reef HS Miami, Fla.
Embry Peeples A-Back 5-10 175 Dr. Phillips HS Orlando, Fla.
Rashaad Reid CB 5-10 180 St. Augustine HS St. Augustine, Fla.
Kamaron Riley CB 6-2 180 Hawkinsville HS Hawkinsville, Ga.
Jaybo Shaw QB 6-0 190 Flowery Branch HS Flowery Branch, Ga.
Quentin Sims WR 6-3 190 Colerain HS Cincinnati, Ohio
Phil Smith OT 6-6 290 Jesuit HS Tampa, Fla.
Steven Sylvester LB 6-2 225 Union Grove HS McDonough, Ga.
Cooper Taylor S 6-4 195 Marist School Atlanta, Ga.
Omoregie Uzzi OG 6-3 291 Chamblee HS Chamblee, Ga.
Tevin Washington QB 6-1 205 Wetumpka HS Wtumpka, Ala.
Richard Watson B-Back 6-1 225 FAMU HS Tallahassee, Fla.
Antonio Wilson DE 6-6 220 Columbia HS Decatur, Ga.
Marcus Wright A-Back 5-8 175 Reagan HS San Antonio, Texas
"I am very pleased with this class," said Johnson, who was hired to take over the Yellow Jacket football program Dec. 7. "We feel like this is a group of kids who will work hard and who are extremely excited about coming to Georgia Tech.
"I think we were able to recruit quality kids while filling some needs at every position group. I think we have some good fits for what we want to do on offense and defense. My staff worked very hard to produce solid results in a short amount of time."
Johnson's first recruiting class includes prospects from seven states, including six from Florida. The Yellow Jackets also signed two players from Alabama and Ohio and one each from California and Texas.
Two of the 20 signees are quarterbacks Jaybo Shaw (Flowery Branch) and Tevin Washington (Wetumpka, Ala.). Tech signed three offensive linemen, including highly-regarded Georgia products Omoregie Uzzi (Chamblee) and Nick McRae (Dublin). The Yellow Jackets also received letters from three running backs, three linebackers, two quarterbacks, two defensive linemen and two receivers.
The list of 20 does not include Tyler Melton (Houston, Texas), who was part of the 2007 recruiting class but did not enroll at Georgia Tech until last month. Melton, a wide receiver, will be a freshman in 2008.
2008 Georgia Tech Football Signees
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. High School Hometown
T.J. Barnes DT 6-7 325 Enterprise HS Enterprise, Ala.
Brandon Leslie S 6-0 195 Edison HS Fresno, Calif.
Jon Lockhart CB 6-0 190 Blountstown HS Blountstown, Fla.
B.J. Machen LB 6-1 225 Hilliard Darby HS Hilliard, Ohio
Daniel McKayhan WR 6-0 180 Martin Luther King, Jr. HS Decatur, Ga.
Nick McRae C 6-4 290 Dublin HS Dublin, Ga.
Malcolm Munroe LB 6-3 215 Coral Reef HS Miami, Fla.
Embry Peeples A-Back 5-10 175 Dr. Phillips HS Orlando, Fla.
Rashaad Reid CB 5-10 180 St. Augustine HS St. Augustine, Fla.
Kamaron Riley CB 6-2 180 Hawkinsville HS Hawkinsville, Ga.
Jaybo Shaw QB 6-0 190 Flowery Branch HS Flowery Branch, Ga.
Quentin Sims WR 6-3 190 Colerain HS Cincinnati, Ohio
Phil Smith OT 6-6 290 Jesuit HS Tampa, Fla.
Steven Sylvester LB 6-2 225 Union Grove HS McDonough, Ga.
Cooper Taylor S 6-4 195 Marist School Atlanta, Ga.
Omoregie Uzzi OG 6-3 291 Chamblee HS Chamblee, Ga.
Tevin Washington QB 6-1 205 Wetumpka HS Wtumpka, Ala.
Richard Watson B-Back 6-1 225 FAMU HS Tallahassee, Fla.
Antonio Wilson DE 6-6 220 Columbia HS Decatur, Ga.
Marcus Wright A-Back 5-8 175 Reagan HS San Antonio, Texas