Georgia Tech gets Mercer on the Flats tomorrow, and the Yellow Jackets are still chasing their first win of the year. If they’re going to take care of business, they’ll need to know where the danger is coming from on the Mercer side.
The Bears have a legitimate downfield threat in Smith, who has been their most productive receiver through the first three games. He leads Mercer in catches with 17, receiving yards with 284, and longest reception at 51 yards.
He’s already topped 100 receiving yards in two of those first three games, and his 16.7 yards per catch make the picture pretty clear: he can stretch a defense in a hurry. Smith also owns a solid Pro Football Focus grade of 78.6 on 128 snaps this season.
That puts the pressure on a Georgia Tech pass defense that has been one of the better units in college football so far, ranking No. 20.
The Yellow Jackets have played at a high level on that side of the ball in 2026, but Smith and quarterback Jaylen King have enough juice to create chances downfield. The question is whether Georgia Tech can keep winning those snaps.
Mercer also has a linebacker who could make life difficult for the Yellow Jackets’ ground game. Carter is the Bears’ leading tackler with 30, and he’s added a pass defended and a half sack in 2026.
His biggest impact, though, comes against the run. Carter carries an elite PFF Run Grade of 81.3 and has five stops in run defense.
He’s also taken a noticeable step forward as a pass rusher. Carter’s pass rush grade has climbed from 65.9 in 2025 to 80.3 in 2026, and he’s posted eight total pressures along with six QB hurries through eight games this season. Georgia Tech wants to run the ball and do it well, but Carter is built to disrupt that plan.
Then there’s Ferguson, one of Mercer’s top cover corners and another player Georgia Tech has to account for. He has 12 tackles, 11 of them solo, along with two passes defensed and a team-high two interceptions. After the Yellow Jackets had trouble protecting the football last week, Ferguson is an obvious name to keep an eye on if he gets another chance to break on a throw.
His coverage work has been steady all season. Ferguson owns a 72.7 coverage grade, which fits the profile of a starting-caliber cornerback, and he put together a strong showing against Presbyterian with an 81.1 defensive grade and an 81.6 coverage grade. Georgia Tech will need to be careful when testing him.
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Georgia Tech Has No Room For Another Slow Start
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For the starters, it is a chance to establish rhythm early. For the backups, it is a chance to get meaningful snaps before the schedule stiffens. In a season where the Jackets are trying to avoid another sluggish opening, this one feels like a game they need to handle cleanly, because the margin for another slow start is not very wide. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Faces One Early Road Test It Has Not Fully Solved
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Arkansas enters with its own issues, and the noise around the program has already spilled beyond the field, from falling ticket resell prices to talk of boycotts among unhappy fans. For Georgia, the challenge is less about reputation than atmosphere, because road games in this league can change quickly, and this one offers a reminder that even a dominant start does not solve every problem waiting once conference play begins. [Read more 🡒]