Georgia Tech Football Spring Position Preview: Safety

Georgia Tech’s safety group heading into the spring is one of the Jackets more experienced position groups on the entire roster.

Georgia Tech’s safety group will be one of the Jackets best in 2019 and that’s thanks to the group’s deep experience.

Christian Campbell:

The redshirt senior will bring 33 career games of experience to the Jackets safety group this spring and will be their leader throughout the spring and into the 2019 season. Campbell is coming off his best year on The Flats, recording 19 tackles including 3.5 tackles for a loss over the course of 13 games. Campbell has proven to be decent in both pass coverage and the open field, giving the Jackets coaching staff some versatility to work around in 2019. Campbell should be a starter or second teamer for the Jackets in 2019.

Jarrett Cole:

The redshirt junior doesn’t have a ton of career experience but does have some with 9 career games through the last two seasons. While most of that time has come on special teams and in clean up duty late in games, Cole still should be able to provide some good experience for the Jackets safety group in terms of leadership.

Tariq Carpenter:

Carpenter was the Jackets best safety last year and is looking to turn that into another big season in 2019. After playing in 6 games as a true freshman, Carpenter played in all 13 games for the Jackets last season and put up 55 tackles in the process. He also had 1.5 tackles for a loss, two interceptions, and a forced fumble in the process. It’s safe to say Carpenter could become an elite safety and game changer for the Jackets in 2019.

Gentry Bonds:

The Tennessee native enters his redshirt sophomore season for the Yellow Jackets but has yet to see the field as a Yellow Jacket. That will most likely change in 2019 as Bonds enters an important spring camp. A four-star recruit coming out of high school, Bonds has the talent and the ability to be a strong piece in the Jackets secondary but has yet to get the chance to show it. It will be interesting to see his development this spring and fall as the 2019 season inches closer.

Kaleb Oliver:

After redshirting his true freshman season, Oliver saw the field in all 13 games last season for the Yellow Jackets. Oliver put together a quality first season of playing time, totaling 21 tackles on the season including 2.5 tackles for a loss. He also was able to nab his first career interception and his first career forced fumble. Oliver has a skillset comparable to Tariq Carpenter and together the two could form a deadly 1-2 punch in the Jackets secondary.

Overall, Georgia Tech safeties group enters the 2019 spring looking real promising and fans should be excited about what the Jackets bring to the table. Expect to see Tariq Carpenter and Kaleb Oliver on the field a lot while Christian Campbell, Jarrett Cole, and Gentry Bonds all provide quality depth options. This summer, Jeremiah Smith will enroll on The Flats and will add another promising player in the Jackets safety group.