Your Favorite Underrated GT player?

southernhive

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Heisman's Ghost said:
Shaq I can see but Calvin was at least a 4 star probably should have been a 5 star who had, I am pretty sure, a lengthy and impressive offer list which by definition would keep him off any list of underrated players who ended up being much better than most would have surmised based on stars, offers, all state mentions, and the like.
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I hear what your saying, but even at a 4 star, I think he was greatly underrated. I liked Reggie Ball, but he was not the best passing QB. Just imagine the numbers CJ would have put up with an avg passing college QB for 3 years. He was a matchup nightmare for any college CB and NFL CB. Constantly double teamed and he still broke records. I stand by my most underrated players at GT.

I would like to add PJ Daniels to my list.
 
deeeznutz

deeeznutz

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Nook Su Kow said:
Felipe Claybrooks, Durant Brooks, Jonathan Smith.
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Oh yeah Jonathan Smith was the truth, and he wore that #21 with distinction before Calvin took it to the next level. I was in Syracuse for some training when he was trying to make the Bills, and I went out to watch a preseason game and gave him a big shout out...you could tell he appreciated getting some love from a fan while he was an NFL “nobody”.
 

takethepoints

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On Calvin:

Rumor hath it that Chan went to see Calvin work out thinking he was a pretty good player, but nothing to write home about. Then they timed him in the 40. Then they timed him again. Then they checked his weight and height. Then they went all out to get him.
 
AE 87

AE 87

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I'm going to follow @Techster's lead in answering for guys who I think were underappreciated at Tech.
1) I agree with him about Tevin Washington (and believe I may have helped convince him of this fact). Not only did the offense perform really efficiently under Tevin in 2011 and 2012, I think his receivers still let him down or he'd have had more efficient passer ratings.
2) On D, I'm going to use the opposite kind of data. I think that Euclid Cummings, TJ Barnes, Izzan Cross, and Brandon Watts were better players than the performance we got from their D because of coaching.
 

AlaJacket

Georgia Tech Fan
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Eric Wilcox
Lucius Sanford
Kent Hill
Shawn Jones - I know that Shawn is often mentioned because of the National Championship, but I don't think he has ever been given the credit he deserves. He took over and willed a win at the end of so many games when we were trailing.
Henry Johnson LB in the Pepper era
Ralph Malone
 

Heisman's Ghost

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AE 87 said:
I'm going to follow @Techster's lead in answering for guys who I think were underappreciated at Tech.
1) I agree with him about Tevin Washington (and believe I may have helped convince him of this fact). Not only did the offense perform really efficiently under Tevin in 2011 and 2012, I think his receivers still let him down or he'd have had more efficient passer ratings.
2) On D, I'm going to use the opposite kind of data. I think that Euclid Cummings, TJ Barnes, Izzan Cross, and Brandon Watts were better players than the performance we got from their D because of coaching.
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We agree to disagree. To my way of thinking, a player who was "underrated" means that they had little to no hype coming out of high school and got much better while at Tech becoming a productive player beyond the initial talent assessment: (stars, all state accolades and the like). "Underappreciated" is something different. To me, this means a player who was largely dismissed or seldom applauded by the fans, media, or even opponents. Tevin is a good example of both definitions. Shawn Jones is probably a good example of the former but not the latter being the BMOC during his time. Lucius Sanford was largely ignored as a linebacker from West Fulton in Atlanta but proved to be a much decorated and applauded linebacker for Bill Fulcher and Pepper Rogers I think. Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett from Pitt said that Lucius hit him harder than anybody during his time as a Panther.
 
Old South Stands

Old South Stands

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Nate Kelsey from '85-'88. He wore the #1 right before Ken Swilling arrived. Nate missed the success of '89 and '90, but had he been at Tech then, he would have just added to our already prolific offensive production. He scored his first career touchdown during the Fog Bowl against UGA. A really bruising runner.
 
dressedcheeseside

dressedcheeseside

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Old South Stands said:
Nate Kelsey from '85-'88. He wore the #1 right before Ken Swilling arrived. Nate missed the success of '89 and '90, but had he been at Tech then, he would have just added to our already prolific offensive production. He scored his first career touchdown during the Fog Bowl against UGA. A really bruising runner.
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I remember Nate but not because of football. He was the late night DJ at PJ Haley‘s nest in those days. Dude could spin a mean tune f’sho. “The roof, the roof, the roof is on fiyah...”
 

AlaJacket

Georgia Tech Fan
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Greenjackets said:
When I was in school in 89-93 Willie Clay from West Virginia was pretty good, At 5' 9" don't think he had much starpower. He would get my vote
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I'm not saying that he was not somewhat under rated, but he was recognized as one of the stars of the team. Al Ciraldo constantly referred to him as "big play Willie Clay". I think he played in the NFL for several years.

I'm sure it was just one of perhaps several reasons that Bobby Ross soured on Tech, but it was reported that Willie complained about the school not paying for the parents expenses to attend the Citrus bowl game (against Nebraska). Apparently, Ross told him several times that NCAA regulations would not allow payment to the parents, but he continued to carp on it the entire trip. Supposedly, the incident soured Ross, who thought that the players should be excited about the bowl victory and championship rather than continually complaining.
 
GTjunkie

GTjunkie

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3765251904_1f9e0f7981_z.jpg
 

Heisman's Ghost

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dressedcheeseside said:
Was Lil’ Joe underrated? If so, he’s at the top of my list. If not, then absolutely Tevin. In fact, he’s still under appreciated by his school’s fans
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Good question but he was recruited by Nebraska as a quarterback but maybe not by South Carolina or Clemson because of his size. I am pretty sure he was all state as was his cousin Harvey Middleton another Yellow Jacket great. Maybe he was underrated coming out of high school but that did not last long.
 
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