Dalton’s McGowan now at Georgia Tech

ATLANTA — Kyric McGowan, a former Dalton High School standout, is back in his home state to continue his college football career and education at an Atlantic Coast Conference school.

McGowan, a versatile 5-foot11, 205-pound receiver, has joined Georgia Tech as a graduate transfer after beginning his collegiate career at Northwestern. McGowan committed to the Big Ten’s Wildcats in July 2016, shortly before his senior season at Dalton, and followed through on that decision.

Georgia Tech coach Geoff Collins announced Wednesday that McGowan and former Maryland linebacker Ayinde Eley (6-3, 240) had joined the team as graduate transfers. Eley has two seasons of eligibility left and McGowan has one, and both will participate in spring practices and be eligible to compete in the 2021 season.

McGowan had 34 catches in eight games to rank second in receptions for the Wildcats this past season. For his Northwestern career, he had 1,688 all-purpose yards: 802 receiving, 531 on kickoff returns and 352 rushing.

Eley started in 11 of 26 games in his three seasons at Maryland. He made nine starts as a sophomore in 2019 and had 79 tackles, an interception and two fumble recoveries.

McGowan, who helped the Catamounts reach the GHSA Class AAAAAA state semifinals in his final season, posted a photo to Twitter of himself and the words “i’m coming home” earlier this month. The Yellow Jackets’ 2021 roster already included two players from Dalton: running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who starred as a freshman in 2020 despite being limited due to injury, and offensive lineman John Ross, a preferred walk-on who was a Catamounts senior this past fall.