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Georgia Tech Football: Six former Jackets earn NFL roster spot after final cuts

By Alex Farrer

Shaq Mason (No. 69) of the New England Patriots lines up for the play against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 21, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
Shaq Mason (No. 69) of the New England Patriots lines up for the play against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 21, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /
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The 32 NFL Teams made their final roster cuts on Saturday to get down to the requisite 53 as they head into the regular season, and six former Georgia Tech standouts saw their name make the list for their respective squads.

Here are the former Jackets that will open the 2020 season on the active roster for their teams:

Shaq Mason, OL, New England Patriots

It was no surprise that Mason found himself as part of the Patriots’ 2020 plans following the final cuts on Saturday as he has become a stalwart on the offensive line for the perennial contender over the last several years.

Mason is heading into his sixth NFL season, all with New England, and is expected to start at guard once again. He has made 70 starts over the last five seasons, including 15 in 2019.

Harrison Butker, K, Kansas City Chiefs

Butker is another former Jacket that was a no-doubt roster selection as he heads into his fourth season for the defending Super Bowl Champion Chiefs.

One of the most reliable kickers in Georgia Tech history (and one that made a pretty memorable kick in Athens once upon a time) has carried that same consistency over into his NFL career and was stellar in 2019, making 34-of-38 field goal attempts with a long of 56 yards in the regular season. He also made 45-of-48 extra points last season and 60 touchbacks on kickoffs.

In the Chiefs’ 31-20 win over San Francisco in Super Bowl LIV back in February, Butker made a 31-yard field goal and converted 4-of-4 PATs.

Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

Following a huge 2019 season in Oakland, Waller will look to carry the momentum over this season as he will be a part of the inaugural Las Vegas Raiders, making the team’s final cuts on Saturday.

Waller is headed into his fifth NFL season and third with the Raiders but really broke through in a big way last year with one of the top seasons across the league by a tight end. He started all 16 games for the team and recorded 90 catches for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns.

Jeremiah Attaochu, OLB, Denver Broncos

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Now an NFL vet, Attaochu once again found his way onto an NFL roster as he made the Broncos’ final cuts for the second straight season.

He is entering his seventh season overall in the league and coming off a 2019 in Denver that saw him play in 12 games total and make five starts. The outside linebacker had 21 total tackles last season with 14 solo stops and seven assists, including five tackles for loss. He also had 3.5 sacks.

Adam Gotsis, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars

Gotsis was a late free-agent signing by the Jaguars in early August, and he made the most of his opportunity, putting together a good enough camp to make the team’s final cuts on Saturday.

Gotsis is entering his fifth NFL season, spending his first four years in the league with Denver. He played in nine games with the Broncos in 2019, making three starts, and recorded 16 total tackles (11 solo, five assists), including one tackle-for-loss. He also added two pass deflections.

Tyler Davis, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars

Joining Gotsis on the Jaguars roster is fellow Georgia Tech alum Davis who made the cut after being a sixth-round pick (No. 206 overall) in this past April’s NFL Draft.

Davis spent one season at Georgia Tech after transferring from UConn and had 17 receptions for 148 yards and one touchdowns while appearing in 11 games in 2019.