Georgia Tech heads into fall camp with a roster that looks very different in a lot of places, and that means opportunity is everywhere. The Yellow Jackets were picked fifth in the ACC media day poll, and if they’re going to make good on the kind of season they want, they’re going to need several players to take a real step forward.
Brent Key’s group is breaking in new starters all over the field. Quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, three spots on the offensive line, the defensive line and the secondary all have fresh faces in line for bigger roles. The transfer portal brought in veteran help, but Georgia Tech may also lean on younger players to make an impact.
Here are five players who look ready to break out in 2026.
Alberto Mendoza is at the top of the list because his role is the biggest one of all. For the first time in his college career, he’s stepping in as a program’s starting quarterback. Georgia Tech brought him in as its final transfer addition in January after he helped Indiana win a national championship, and now he gets his chance to run the offense.
He’s filling massive shoes. Haynes King is off to the NFL after one of the most productive quarterback careers in Georgia Tech history.
Mendoza’s sample size at Indiana was small, but it was eye-catching: 18-of-24 passing for 296 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. He also added 190 rushing yards on 13 carries and scored once on the ground. That kind of production, even in limited action, is enough to point to real upside.
At tight end, Kevin Roche Jr. could be one of the more interesting names to watch as the season unfolds. With the wide receiver situation still unsettled and a new offensive scheme in place, Georgia Tech may ask more of its tight ends than it has in recent years. The Yellow Jackets added three transfers at the position, but Roche is the returning young player who stands out.
At 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, he brings rare size, and he had a strong spring. Mendoza looked his way often, and that connection could matter early.
Gavin Harris, Chris Corbo and Spencer Mermans are all expected to get snaps, but Roche should be part of the weekly rotation too. His size gives him real red-zone value, and his role could grow as the year goes on.
The offensive line also has a new centerpiece in center Zane Ionata. After playing just 74 snaps across two seasons at Alabama, he’s now in position to start for Georgia Tech. He already emerged as a leader during spring work, and he sounds like someone who fits the personality of this offense.
“Yeah, it's awesome, man. I really love it.
We kind of joked that all you have to do is get in front of the linebacker with these running backs and how this scheme is built. It's a lot of fun to...
We like to pass block, but it's especially fun to get after them in the run.”
That matters because Georgia Tech wants its run game to stay strong, and a dependable center is a huge part of that. Ionata looks like he can be that player.
On the defensive side, Josh Celiscar brings the kind of pass-rush upside Georgia Tech needs more of. Another Alabama transfer, the former blue-chip recruit could wind up being the Yellow Jackets’ best edge threat this season.
Celiscar, listed at 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, recorded 10 tackles in his Alabama career. He posted a PFF grade of 70.5 in 88 snaps this year, which gives Georgia Tech a reason to believe there’s more there if he gets a bigger role.
And then there’s Akheem Mbakwe, who may be the most intriguing fit of the bunch. He spent the last two seasons at wide receiver for Alabama, but Georgia Tech sees him as a cornerback, where his athleticism can be put to better use.
He might already be the best athlete on the roster, and the Yellow Jackets are hoping that translates into a real impact on the back end of the defense. If it does, that secondary gets a lot more dangerous in a hurry.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Recruiting Is Turning Heads As Fall Camp Begins
As fall camp begins, Georgia Techs recruiting momentum is becoming a bigger part of the conversation around Brent Keys program. The Yellow Jackets already sit among the ACCs best with 26 commitments, placing them in the conferences top five and giving the staff a class that has turned some heads well before the season starts.
Now comes the harder part: keeping it together. Key and his staff are sorting through evaluations of the committed players while trying to hold off other programs that will keep pushing for flips, and the recent addition of DeAndre Hopkins as assistant wide receivers coach adds another layer to the effort, especially at a position where Georgia Tech would love to keep building. Miami may still be setting the pace in the ACC chase, but the Jackets have put themselves in a position where the next few weeks could matter a lot. [Read more 🡒]
DeAndre Hopkins Gives Georgia Tech Receivers A Huge Chance This Fall
Right before fall camp, Georgia Tech made one of the more eye-catching hires of the offseason, bringing in former NFL star DeAndre Hopkins as an assistant wide receivers coach. A Clemson alumnus with a long professional rsum, Hopkins arrives at a time when the Yellow Jackets are trying to sharpen a receiver room that includes established names like Allen and Fuhrmann along with a wave of freshmen who will be learning the position at the college level.
For Georgia Tech, the appeal is obvious: Hopkins spent years winning with technique, body control and consistency against the best defensive backs in football, and that kind of firsthand knowledge can be invaluable for a group trying to grow together. The timing also makes the move even more interesting, since the start of camp gives Hopkins an immediate chance to work with the room and help accelerate development before the season starts taking shape. [Read more 🡒]