Georgia Tech Football Meet the Freshman: DL Quon Griffin

Georgia Tech defensive lineman Quon Griffin out of Rome, Georgia may not be the highest rated Yellow Jackets recruit but could be one of the most ready to play freshman this season.

Defensive lineman Quon Griffin wasn’t always bound for Georgia Tech, the three-star defensive end out of Rome, Georgia was originally committed to LSU. However, an early December decommitment allowed the Yellow Jackets to have a strong chance in landing Griffin.

At 6-foot-0 and 275-pounds, Griffin is an interesting situation of where he could play for the Yellow Jackets. While 275-pounds is considered light for a defensive tackle, it is also a little heavy for a defensive end especially at exactly 6-foot. If Griffin still has decent speed at his current weight, he should be able to play defensive end at a high level. Any additional weight however and he could be looking at being a “tweener” between defensive end and defensive tackle which could be something the Jackets are looking to do with Griffin in order maximize versatility on the defensive line.

Recruiting Refresher:

As mentioned above, Griffin was once a member of LSU’s 2018 recruiting class as he was a part of a haul from Rome for the Tigers. That being said, Griffin and his fellow teammates committed to LSU, decommitted from the program, opening his recruitment backup with two months left in the cycle.

Griffin through his recruitment was offered by at least 13 programs with a majority of them coming from Group of Five schools. Georgia Tech, LSU, and Tennessee were the only Power Five programs to offer Griffin.

After his decommitment from LSU, Griffin would take his recruitment all the way to National Signing Day when he committed and signed with the Yellow Jackets becoming one of the last members to fill out the 2018 recruiting class.

What to Expect in 2018 and Beyond:

Despite Griffin’s lower rating, he is one of the players that appear ready to play more so than others. Talented and with a rather high ceiling, Griffin has the skillset to be in the defensive line rotation this fall for the Yellow Jacket. That being said, what could hold him back is if he will be strong enough physically to be able to beat ACC quality offensive lineman.

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Ultimately, Griffin’s physical development leading up to this season will determine his amount of playing time. Griffin has what it takes to contribute right away for the Jackets but if he is not ready physically, the coaching staff may decide it’s better to hold the Rome, Georgia native back and allow him to redshirt this season.