Countdown to Kickoff: No. 41
Philip Wheeler
The countdown to kickoff is officially on as Georgia Tech‘s season-opening matchup at Colorado on Aug. 29 is less than 100 days away.
Until then JOL will be counting it down with one Jackets’ player daily that wore the corresponding number of days remaining until toe meets leather in Boulder.
With it now 41 days until kickoff in Boulder, today’s focus is on No. 41 Philip Wheeler, whose college career is remembered by Tech fans for his relentless approach on the field and ability to make tackles from sideline to sideline with an incredible 36 of those coming behind the line of scrimmage for tackles-for-loss over three seasons from 2005-2007.
Wheeler came to The Flats in the recruiting class of 2003 after a great prep career at Shaw High (Ga.) in Columbus where he won a state championship and was named an All-State linebacker by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He chose the Jackets over other reported offers from Alabama, Indiana, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt.
After not seeing much action in this first couple years at Tech, Wheeler broke out during the 2005 season as he played in 12 games and recorded 65 total tackles (37 solo) with 4.5 sacks, 12 tackles-for-loss, four interceptions and one forced fumble.
Wheeler continued to grow as a player in both 2006 and 2007 and was finally recognized for his ability and production as a Second-Team All-ACC selection both years. In 2006 he put together one of the best seasons a linebacker has ever had at Georgia Tech, playing in 14 games and recording 89 total tackles (52 solo) with 15 tackles-for-loss, nine sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and five passes defended.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder completed his collegiate career in style in 2007 with another outstanding campaign in which he played in 13 games and recorded 89 total tackles (46 solo) with nine tackles-for-loss, six sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and five passes defended. Despite playing linebacker, Wheeler ranks 10th all-time in career sacks at Georgia Tech as he is mixed in with all the Jackets’ defensive line greats in that category.
Following his impressive college career and strong measurables leading up to the 2008 NFL Draft, Wheeler was picked by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round with the 93rd overall pick. He went on to play the better part of nine seasons in The League with six different franchises, including the Colts, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals before retiring in 2017.
Wheeler appeared in two Super Bowls, including one with the Colts and one with the Falcons, but came up on the short end of both of those opportunities. During his nine-year pro career, he finished by playing in 133 games with 66 starts and compiled 552 total tackles (377 solo), 25 tackles-for-loss, 6.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 15 passes defended.
