Georgia Tech needed to shore up its secondary in the offseason, so it found four transfers who are expected to step in and make an immediate impact this season.
The most notable of newcomers among that group is Warren Burrell, a Tennessee graduate from North Gwinnett High School who has gotten rave reviews from coaches and Yellow Jackets alike for his work ethic and ability.
“Made a lot of plays thus far,” Tech defensive backs coach Cory Peoples said. “Long, rangy guy. Smart guy. Understands the game. Great IQ. (Burrell’s) doing well.”
Said Tech cornerbacks coach Ricky Brumfield: “Warren coming in the spring, being able to be implemented in the defense and know what we’re doing has ben instrumental to his success. So far during camp he’s a leader, he’s a vocal leader, he loves to get on the young guys as far as getting them right, coaching ‘em up.”
Burrell (6-foot, 195) played in 40 games, making 22 starts, for the Volunteers over a five-season span in Knoxville before he left as a graduate transfer. He was rated, by Pro Football Focus, as Tennessee’s second-best tackler in 2023.
Tech is expecting Burrell to come in and lock down one side of the field from his cornerback position. Burrell is expecting to play well enough to earn an chance to play professional football.
“You can go to the (NFL) from anywhere, so the main thing for me was just being able to have an opportunity to put things on tape, put good plays out there, and I feel like this is the best place to give me the opportunity to do that,” Burrell said. “The staff, they believe in me, trust in me, and it’s nothing better than that. Now it’s just up to me to do my job.”
Opposite Burrell at the other cornerback is expected to be junior Ahmari Harvey, who made 31 tackles and three interceptions last season. Behind the Burrell-Harvey duo at cornerback, veterans LaMiles Brooks and Clayton Powell-Lee will reside at the safety positions for the Jackets.
Tech’s nickel-back spot could be manned by Rodney Shelley, Omar Daniels or, another one of those key transfers, Syeed Gibbs who came to Atlanta from Rhode Island. Peoples labeled that trio, “swing guys,” who all have the ability to fill in at safety and/or cornerback as well.
Among the DBs pushing those presumed starters include sophomores D.J. Moore and Taye Seymore and transfers Zachary Tobe (Illinois) and Jayden Davis (Cincinnati).
All of the defensive backs, Brooks said, have taken on a moniker for the group to help them remember what their mission is each play.
“We’re the ‘Shark Crew.’ You’ll see us throwing a shark fin up. That’s our identity,” Brooks said. “We smell blood in the water, and we’re hunting anything that’s out there.”
As for Peoples, who came to Tech after four seasons at Georgia State, he inherited a secondary that fared respectably against the pass by giving up 215.8 yards per game in 2023, an average which ranked 53rd nationally. But the Jackets did allow 105 passing plays of 10 yards or more, 45 of 20 yards or more and 18 of 30 yards or more.
Tech is counting on its added depth to help counteract the inability to stop the big play. Peoples’ hope is that depth helps improve his unit not only through preseason camp, but throughout the season.
“Competition pushes everybody,” he said. “When you know you gotta go out there and play and you got guys behind you, you know you can’t lack, you gotta go out there and bring it every day, which those guys do. I think any time you got a bunch of depth, it’s great for competition in the (group).”
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