Height said he made $250,000 last year at Georgia Tech. His agent was seeking a raise to $500,000 ahead of Height's senior season, a number he felt was fair market value, but was rebuffed. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound outside linebacker had a good year for the Yellow Jackets after transferring from USC, totalling a team-high 29 pressures off the edge, but finished with only 2.5 sacks. Height insists he wasn't looking to leave.
"They were like, 'Nah, we overpaid him already,'" Height said. "So, my agent was like, 'All right, we're going to go get overpaid somewhere else.'"
Height was a big priority for Blanchard. He had watched tape of 50 other defensive ends and outside linebackers, and felt strongly that Height had all the traits he was looking for as the top pass rusher available in the December portal period. Blanchard wasn't concerned about the lack of sack production. The way he sees it, sacks are 1% of the equation, and Height does the other 99% of his job at a high level, consistently forcing QBs to move off their spot.
"People were trying to say it was other guys, but Romello was the best one," Blanchard said. "Y'all don't know what y'all are looking at."
His value in Texas Tech's estimation: $1.5 million.
"Super jaw-dropping," Height said.