Georgia Tech
three-time team captain Kyle Efford retired
on Tuesday and is hanging up his cleats for good. There are several players who will have to step up in his absence and make plays moving forward. Let's discuss who must take their game to the next level.
1. Cayman Spaulding
Spaulding is the team's most athletic linebacker and goes 100 MPH on the field. Spaulding is a player you should be watching who deserves more time on the field for the Yellow Jackets. That will certainly be the case now that Efford is gone, and he could even become a starter moving forward. They will need Spaulding's athleticism, grit, and hard-hitting ability in the run game to keep improving the run defense.
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One underrated aspect of his game is his ability to cover, especially tight ends and running backs. As the competition heats up and more good teams come down the line, Spaulding should be one they use for those instances. He is a good player who can make a lot of plays, and he will now have to elevate his game for the Yellow Jackets' defense to improve. He has all the tools; now it is time to show it with more snaps coming his way.
2. E.J. Lightsey
Lightsey is coming off his best game, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), after a strong performance against Duke. Lightsey posted a 76.5 defensive grade on 54 snaps. Lightsey is the team's fourth-leading tackler with 28 tackles. He's been a veteran and well-known player on this roster for a long time. Moving forward, we already know he will be a starter, but he will have to raise his game now that his running mate is gone.
Last week he had a big-time play in pass coverage against Duke that prevented a score and made the Blue Devils kick a field goal that was ultimately missed. Lightsey is known for being a good run defender. Over the past few weeks, we've seen the run defense improve, but now it has to stay that way for the rest of the year for the Yellow Jackets to turn it around. Lightsey will be a key piece, and he must step up.
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3. Braylon Outlaw
Now, this will be an exciting one to watch because Outlaw
was just named ACC Rookie of the Week after a four-tackle performance against Duke. Outlaw has been someone who has impressed the coaching staff since he stepped on campus in January.
He has played at a high level and made plays when his number is called. He is the future of the Yellow Jackets linebacker room and has already displayed his potential. He is a guy you can expect to have a lot more snaps and reps moving forward.
That's good because, with seven games left, they can really develop Outlaw and have a more experienced linebacker at the end of the season who should start next year. He's already caught Coach Key's eye.
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"Yeah, there's a lot of guys that are playing and have to continue to play and continue to rep and continue to get better. Outlaw's one that he'll make a mistake, but he'll make a big play. You look at production of guys on the field, when you look at tackles, assists, pressure. You know, batted balls, you know, the whole gamut when it comes to defensive production in relation to the amount of plays. I mean, Outlaw's up there as high as anybody.
There's a lot of guys that played a lot more snaps than that, that the production's not there. Everybody's got their strengths and weaknesses, and we've got to continue to elevate those guys and, you know, keep their strengths and elevate their weaknesses. And we need all those guys to be ready to contribute."
Georgia Tech will be back on the field this Saturday against Virginia Tech (3:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network).
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/georgiatech as Three Linebackers Who Must Step Up For Georgia Tech After Kyle Efford's Medical Retirement
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