Top 5 players in GT History (in your opinion)

ricejacket

Damn Good Rat
Joined
Jun 12, 2005
Messages
1,421
1. Castleberry (Finished 3rd in the Heisman as a freshman which was unheard of at that time. Could’ve been an all timer if he hadn’t died in WWII. Only number retired)
2. Joe Ham (finished second in the Heisman and should’ve won)
3. Randy Rhino (3 time AA)
4. Calvin (Could’ve set NCAA records and won a Heisman if he had a functional QB throwing to him)
5. Pat Swilling (Anchor of the defense that guided Tech out of the dark year of the early 80’s)
 
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donsue

Flats Noob
Joined
Jun 9, 2016
Messages
960
Here's mine
1) Joe Hamilton - just in command at QB.
2) John Dewberry - the QB who turned it around
3) Justin Thomas - next level player. There was no such thing as a broken play once he took over the team.
4) Eddie Lee Ivery - UGAg felt it necessary to hurt him at all costs
5) Calvin Johnson - I love RB, but had we gotten a prototypical QB, he becomes the greatest WR in CFB history.

Fight me, it is the off-season. Or change my mind, I'm game

And no, I didn't put defensive players on there so bonus is

6) Keith Brooking - all time leading tackler in GT History. Back to back seasons of 147 & 146 tackles.
Calvin Johnson
Larry Morris
Lothridge
Leon Hardeman
Randy Rhino
 

superjacket21

Drink alone
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
196
I was born in 97, but I’ll give it my best go

No order
1 Calvin
2 Eddy Lee Ivory
3 Joe Hamilton
4 Clint Castleberry
5 Justin Thomas
 

Jacketeer

Flats Noob
Joined
Sep 28, 2017
Messages
875
I'll interpret the question as the *best college football players* to play at GT *since 1970* since that's 50 years ago and even if you're old enough to remember further back than that, it's a different game

1. Calvin Johnson - unquestionably, IMO. He was a WR, so his touches depend on the QB, OC, OL, etc. But the best CFB to play for us. Unanimous AA and the only player in the modern era to earn first team AA awards in multiple seasons.
2. Joe Hamilton - objectively the best college football player in 1999 and was robbed of the Heisman thanks to a lifetime achievement award given to Dayne in his worst college season.
3. Ken Swilling - one of 3 unanimous AAs in GT history, captain of national title team
4. Pressley Harvin - objectively the best in his position in college football, unanimous AA (Swilling and CJ only other 2 in GT history)
5. Shaq Mason - I'll take heat over this pick and that's fine, but I don't think there's been a bigger stalwart on our OL in the modern era. When we needed 1, 3 or hell 6-7 yards, we run it up his ass and he'd blow the DT off the line then go hunt for 2-3 more downfield. He could cut, sure, but he was just as productive putting you on your back. Great feet, hands, smarts, everything. I saw Nat Dorsey shut down Julius Peppers at the peak of his powers and that's the closest I've seen a GT OL come to how good Shaq was on a routine basis.

A few left out

DT - on the edge, just wasn't in the scheme to be all he could have been at the college level

Harrison Butker, all time leading scorer at GT. Tough to objectively call him top 5 in GT history. We've been blessed with a handful of strong players at that position that have been both consistent and clutch, and that muddies the waters a bit. I'm ignoring NFL success completely, though right now he's the best kicker in history except for Justin Tucker tha god

Michael Johnson, AA and tha freak - an absurd talent who as a youngster earned the knock that he took too many plays off, but god love him, so much fun to watch.

Tony Hollings, who barring a knee blowout 1/3 thru the season (vs Vandy, Clemson, UConn and BYU) was on track to match Barry Sanders' college football rushing TD pace (11 TDs in 3.5 games).

Gibbs, though barring injury I think it will become clear over the next 7 years what we had here.

Kelly Campbell - my lord, was he an incredible college WR.... Everything he did - route running, hands, speed (though I've read he's 40 was slow, his on-field speed and quickness in routes were absurd). With little Joe, probably the best weed smoker as well.

George Godsey - spectacular until that knee gave out, still holds so many records. 3IAR,B

Morgan Burnett, Derrick Morgan, Jon Dwyer - what a recruiting class, holy öööö
Nobody will give you hate for the Shaq pick, he was essential to our success in 2014 and an absolute beast. The Pressley Harvin one I'm having a harder time understanding. He had two pretty good years, one below average year, and one sensational year. He would boot one or two into orbit and then shank the next one for 25 yards. Excellent player? Yes, no doubt, and the All-America monikers were deserved. But I wouldn't exactly call him dominant, purely due to the nature of the position. Not one of the 5 best IMO.
 

oldgoldbee

Flats Noob
Joined
May 15, 2003
Messages
592
The BEST I ever saw play were; (no particular order)-Needs to be Top 100
1. Billy Lotrhridge
2. Kim King
3. Joe Hamilton
4. Eddie Lee Ivery
5. Calvin Johnson
Honorable Mention;
Lucious Sanford, Rock Perdoni, Lenny Snow, Brent Cunningham, Justin Thomas, Randy Rhino, Shawn Jones, Smylie Gebhart, Bunky Henry, Derrick Morgan, George Godsey, Shaq Mason, Jon Dwyer, Jason Nesbitt, Robert Lavette, geeze I could name many others.
 

coit

Y’all got any more of that D Fence?
Joined
Nov 29, 2007
Messages
87,839
It starts with the offensive Line ( no order)

Nat Dorsey
Shaq Mason
Parker Braun
Hugh Reilly
Andrew Gardner
So you make an OL list and leave John Davis off of it?
 

thegtstunner08

Earl of Cheap Seats and Cold Pizza
Joined
Aug 21, 2014
Messages
2,737
Here's mine
1) Joe Hamilton - just in command at QB.
2) John Dewberry - the QB who turned it around
3) Justin Thomas - next level player. There was no such thing as a broken play once he took over the team.
4) Eddie Lee Ivery - UGAg felt it necessary to hurt him at all costs
5) Calvin Johnson - I love RB, but had we gotten a prototypical QB, he becomes the greatest WR in CFB history.

Fight me, it is the off-season. Or change my mind, I'm game

And no, I didn't put defensive players on there so bonus is

6) Keith Brooking - all time leading tackler in GT History. Back to back seasons of 147 & 146 tackles.
1. Calvin Johnson
2. Joey Hamilton
3. Clint Castleberry
4. Kim King
5. Eddie Lee Ivery
 

AlaGold

Dodd-Like
Joined
Jul 26, 2002
Messages
3,437
Almost everyone is ignoring guys on TWO Nat Champ teams in '18 and 52..-- So here goes in no order -after watching for 65 yrs.
-Randy Rhino
-Calvin
-Joe Ham
-Eddie Lee
-Larry Morris
 

vapspwi

Dodd-Like
Joined
Oct 18, 2002
Messages
8,057
Nobody will give you hate for the Shaq pick, he was essential to our success in 2014 and an absolute beast. The Pressley Harvin one I'm having a harder time understanding. He had two pretty good years, one below average year, and one sensational year. He would boot one or two into orbit and then shank the next one for 25 yards. Excellent player? Yes, no doubt, and the All-America monikers were deserved. But I wouldn't exactly call him dominant, purely due to the nature of the position. Not one of the 5 best IMO.
If one of our all-time 5 best is a punter we should shut down the program now.

JRjr
 

BuzzinWreck78

Helluva Engineer
Joined
Jun 12, 2021
Messages
2,324
If you don’t have Clint Castleberry at the top of your list you don’t know öööö about the history of Georgia Tech football.
The year before Castleberry's great 1942 season, I had a cousin who played for GT.Likely why i grew up a GT fan.
Weighing in at 175 pounds, Jordan tried out as a lineman. Before the season was over, he had been tabbed by his fellow players and coaches as “Hardrock.” He was awarded the Rhodes Trophy as the most valuable player for the 1941 Yellow Jackets. was named to the All - Southeastern team by the sports staff of the “Atlanta Journal.” The only other Georgian on the team was his rival, Frank Sinkwich.
He was a pilot who died in 1943 at SanDiego Naval Airstation.
 

ricejacket

Damn Good Rat
Joined
Jun 12, 2005
Messages
1,421
The year before Castleberry's great 1942 season, I had a cousin who played for GT.Likely why i grew up a GT fan.
Weighing in at 175 pounds, Jordan tried out as a lineman. Before the season was over, he had been tabbed by his fellow players and coaches as “Hardrock.” He was awarded the Rhodes Trophy as the most valuable player for the 1941 Yellow Jackets. was named to the All - Southeastern team by the sports staff of the “Atlanta Journal.” The only other Georgian on the team was his rival, Frank Sinkwich.
He was a pilot who died in 1943 at SanDiego Naval Airstation.
Thanks for sharing that!
 
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