10 Best Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Football Players

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defied the football odds in Week 0 of the 2024 season with an upset win over Florida State in Dublin, Ireland. 

Now, you can bet on their college football odds each week at the BetMGM online sportsbook. 

Here, though, I wanted to check out the top players they’ve had come through the program. 

Below is my list of the top 10 Yellow Jackets of all time. 

10 Best Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Football Players

1. Calvin Johnson

Johnson is known for his incredibly productive NFL career, but before that, he was a standout wide receiver with Georgia Tech from 2004 to 2006. 

During his time there, he won the following awards and accolades: 

• Fred Biletnikoff Award
• Paul Warfield Trophy
• Unanimous All-American
• First-team All-American
• ACC Player of the Year
• ACC Rookie of the Year
• Three-time first-team All-ACC

Across three seasons with the Yellow Jackets, he hauled in 178 receptions for 2,927 yards and 28 touchdowns over 38 games. 

He ranks second in receptions, first in receiving yards, and first in receiving touchdowns in program history. 

He became the No. 2 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. 

Today, he’s enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

November 6, 2004: Georgia Tech freshman Calvin Johnson with the ridiculous one-handed grab against NC State. pic.twitter.com/MPTXS48IL9

— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) November 6, 2020

2. Joe Hamilton

Before becoming the No. 234 overall draft pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, Hamilton had a program-defining career at Georgia Tech. 

Hamilton finished his career with the most passing touchdowns (65), passing yards (8,882), total yards (10,640), and touchdowns (83).

In 1999, he won the Davey O’Brien Award, was a consensus All-American, and was named the NCAA Quarterback of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, and ACC Offensive Player of the Year. That season, he completed 203 of 305 passes (66.6%) for 3,060 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. 

Hamilton was also a two-time first-team All-ACC, a two-time Gator Bowl MVP, and the Carquest Bowl MVP. 

3. Demaryius Thomas

Thomas played at Georgia Tech from 2006 to 2009, during the era of Georgia Tech utilizing the triple option and running the ball more often than not. In 2006, they averaged 37.7 rush attempts per game. 

Over his career, Thomas had 120 receptions, 2,339 yards, and 15 touchdowns. 

He ranks second in single-game receiving yards with 230 in 2008 against Duke. He also finished with 1,157 yards in 2009, the second-most receiving yards in a single season. 

Thomas was third-team All-American and first-team All-ACC in 2009. 

He became the No. 22 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. 

4. Billy Lothridge

Lothridge played quarterback and punter from 1961 to 1963. He was a consensus All-American in 1963 and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Roger Staubach. 

Over his career, he completed 185 of 372 passes for 2,394 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions and ran 298 times for 746 yards and 15 touchdowns. 

Additionally, Lothridge was the SEC Back of the Year (1963), two-time first-team All-SEC (1962, 1963), and he’s enshrined in the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. 

5. Pat Swilling

Swilling ranks sixth all-time in sacks in Georgia Tech history, but he holds the single-season record with 15 in 1985. That same year, he recorded five sacks against NC State, tied for the single-game record. He was the all-time sack leader when he left Georgia Tech until Marco Coleman supplanted him. 

He was a first-team All-American and first-team All-ACC in 1985. 

Today, he’s enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. 

6. Keith Brooking

Brooking suited up for the Yellow Jackets from 1994 to 1997 and, during that time, racked up the most tackles in Georgia Tech history, with 467. 

Brooking’s senior year was a standout season in his career. He started 34 straight games with the program, and in that year alone, he had 131 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, three passes defended, one fumble recovery, and a blocked field goal. 

7. Robert Lavette

Lavette suited up for Georgia Tech from 1981 to 1984, and he’s still the all-time leader in rushing yards with 4,066 and rushing touchdowns with 45. His best season came as a sophomore with 280 carries for 1,208 yards and 19 touchdowns. 

Interestingly, he’s also tied for the single-game receptions record with 14 against Notre Dame in 1981. 

He was a two-time first-team All-ACC recipient. 

8. Jerry Mays

Mays took over at Georgia Tech right after Lavette, playing from 1985 to 1989. He played just six games as a freshman and finished his career with 695 carries for 3,699 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also had 115 receptions for 869 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

He ranks second in Georgia Tech history in rushing yards and eighth in receptions.

He was first-team All-ACC in 1989 and ACC Rookie of the Year in 1985. 

9. Eddie Lee Ivery

Ivery was with Georgia Tech just before Lavette. Ivery played from 1975 to 1978 and had 609 carries for 3,517 yards and 22 touchdowns. 

He ranks 10th in rushing touchdowns, third in rushing yards, and has the single-season rushing record with 1,562 yards in 1978. 

Ivery was a second-team All-American in 1978 and was inducted into the Georgia Tech Athletic Hall of Fame in 1983. 

10. Ken Whisenhunt

You may remember Whisenhunt for his stints in the NFL as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans, but before he started coaching in 1995 with Vanderbilt, he was a standout tight end at Georgia Tech from 1980 to 1984. He started his career there as a backup tight end in 1980 but converted to tight end in 1981. 

Over his career, he caught 82 passes for 1,264 yards, seven touchdowns, averaged 15.4 yards per catch and was named first-team All-ACC in 1984. That same year, he was also an honourable mention All-American.