Georgia Tech’s group of wide receivers was thin to begin with this spring, but the recent news that projected starter Anthony Autry has reinjured his knee -- the same knee he suffered a torn ACL in last fall -- has depleted the group even further.
Those within the program aren’t panicking because they are confident in the talent they’ve recruited, but this injury pretty much guarantees at least one true freshman receiver is going to see playing time for the Jackets this fall. Autry and Darren Waller were the only two receivers on the roster who had ever recorded a collegiate catch. A school spokesman said it hasn’t been determined how long Autry will be out, but he will definitely miss the beginning of the season.
Autry missed spring practices to recover from the torn ACL, and he was on his way to class at the end of the semester when he hurt his knee again taking a casual jump out of one of campus shuttle busses. It was extremely unfortunate, considering Autry was almost fully recovered from the original injury.
Corey Dennis, who began his career as a true freshman defensive back in 2011, is next up on the depth chart. He moved to wide receiver last fall and played mostly on special teams. Coach Paul Johnson has also said he expects to see improvement from Travin Henry, who also missed this spring with an injury, and Micheal Summers, who redshirted last year.
Keep an eye out, though, for true freshmen Ricky Jeune and Antonio Messick, as both will have an opportunity to contribute immediately. Georgia Tech also likes to use its A-backs like slot receivers, so there are plenty of options for pass catchers in the Jackets’ run-based offense. The key now is finding the most dependable -- and durable -- one.
