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Georgia Tech Football Spring Game Players to Watch: #1 DB Juanyeh Thomas

By Dylan Callaghan-Croley

ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 17: Defensive back Juanyeh Thomas #28 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets runs the ball down field during the first quarter of their game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Bobby Dodd Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 17: Defensive back Juanyeh Thomas #28 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets runs the ball down field during the first quarter of their game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Bobby Dodd Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) /
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In our latest installment of players to watch in Georgia Tech’s spring game on Friday, we highlight sophomore defensive back and freshman All-Amerian Juanyeh Thomas.

Last season, Juanyeh Thomas broke out as a true freshman for Georgia Tech on special teams. This season, the freshman All-American could be in for a big season while being used in all three facets of the game.

A tremendous athlete, Juanyeh Thomas should be a prime candidate for the Yellow Jackets this season to see time on offense, defense, an, of course, special teams. Last season, Thomas played most of his time on special teams but also saw time on defense.

An electric return man, Thomas returned two kicks for touchdowns last year including one against UGA. Over the course of 25 returns last year, Thomas was among the best in the nation, averaging 25.3 yards per return, totaling 606-yards. He saw a few return attempts when it came to the punt return with five returns for 43-yards.

During his introductory press conference, head coach Geoff Collins noted that at Temple, he played some players both ways and that he expects to do the same at Tech. As said above, we expect Thomas to be one of those guys. A player as electric as Thomas should be able to find the ball in his hands a lot.

But in terms of Friday’s game, we will be looking at two things for Thomas. The first of course is if the Jackets are going to be experimental with Thomas at all, will he see him on offense? Who knows, if we do, it may be something they keep under wraps until the season begins.

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The second thing is Thomas’s work on defense. Last season, Thomas looked pretty good on defense but still needed some work. In total, he had 15 tackles and one interception that was returned for a touchdown. We’ll look to see how Thomas looks in his coverage skills and in the open field.

Overall, Thomas is one of the most exciting players on the entire roster for Georgia Tech and is a proverbial “treat” to watch. We’re excited to see him back at on The Flats on Friday evening.