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Georgia Tech Football: DE Eddie Watkins commits to the Yellow Jackets

By Dylan Callaghan-Croley

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 10: The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets' mascot Buzz poses for a portrait on the sidelines prior to the start of the Yellow Jackets' football game against the Miami Hurricanes at Bobby Dodd Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 10: The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets' mascot Buzz poses for a portrait on the sidelines prior to the start of the Yellow Jackets' football game against the Miami Hurricanes at Bobby Dodd Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images) /
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Commitment No.12 has become public for Georgia Tech on Monday afternoon when weak-side defensive end Eddie Watkins committed to the Yellow Jackets.

Georgia Tech’s hot streak on the recruiting trail continued on Monday afternoon when weak-side defensive end Eddie Watkins (Hillcrest HS – Evergreen, Alabama) committed to the Yellow Jackets. Watkins is the third defensive lineman to commit to the Jackets in just a little over a week joining the likes of Akelo Stone and JaQuarri Wiggles.

Watkins is ranked as a composite three-star recruit by 247Sports’s composite rankings and is considered a top-1200 player nationally. He’s also considered a top-50 weakside defensive end a top-50 player in the state of Alabama.

At 6-foot-3 and 220-pounds, Watkins has good size and also has good athleticism which can be seen via his highlight tapes on HUDL.  The Jackets coaching staff hasn’t made a secret that they are interested in recruiting good athletes and Watkins is no different.

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Watkins before his commitment had reported nine offers, a majority being group of five programs. Alongside the Yellow Jackets was the University of Kentucky as the only other power five program to offer Watkins so far. Other notable offers include Central Michigan, South Alabama, Troy, and Tulane.

With this commitment, the Jackets now have 12 commitments in the 2020 recruiting class as stated above. The commitment also moves the Yellow Jackets up in 247Sports’s team rankings with the Jackets now entering the fold with the No.10 recruiting class. They’re currently sandwiched in between the likes of Penn State and Georgia. That being said they’re still the fourth highest ranked ACC team in the rankings with Clemson, Miami, Florida State, and North Carolina still ahead of them.

When it comes to looking at Watkins’s film, the first thing that stands out is his high motor. Watkins isn’t the fastest or the strongest but he has a relentless motor and will find his way to the ball no matter the circumstances. He plays with both his hand in the dirt and standing up which will allow him to be a potential hybrid-like pass rusher for the Yellow Jackets. At 6-foot-3 and 220-pounds, it is possible that the Yellow Jackets will look to move Watkins to more of a linebacker than a true defensive end. Either way, Watkins’s is a good pickup for the Yellow Jackets and someone who will add some much needed depth on the edge.