Georgia Tech’s first fall scrimmage should start to answer a few of the biggest questions hanging over the Yellow Jackets, especially on both sides of the line and in the secondary. It won’t settle everything in one afternoon, but Saturday ought to show which players are beginning to separate and which spots still need a lot more sorting out.
Up front, the offensive line remains very much in flux. Both guard jobs are open, and the right tackle spot is still being battled over as well.
Kevin Peay Jr, Jameson Riggs, Jordan Floyd, Malachi Carney, and Markell Samuel are all in the mix. That doesn’t mean the scrimmage will end the competition, but it should at least give a clearer read on who is moving ahead.
There’s a chance this one stretches deep into the season, just as it did in 2025, though Georgia Tech would obviously prefer that not to be the case.
Offensive line coach Allen Mogridge has made the point that depth matters just as much as the top five. “I think we're all naive if we think five guys are going to play 12 games in this level of college football.
You know what I mean? I think if you don't have depth, it'll get exposed.
I think if we're not developing offensive linemen and we're not developing the depth and we're not. And at the end of that is, as you develop depth, they earn trust, right?
They earn my trust. I earn theirs, right?
The head coach, all of that goes into it as well. But I think we're all naive if we think we can make it through a season only playing five guys, right?,” said Mogridge.
The receiver group also has some sorting to do beyond the top three. Jordan Allen, Isaiah Fuhrmann, and Dalen Penson are the established names, but Georgia Tech still needs more players to emerge and provide real production.
Freshmen Kentrell Davis, Coi Noel, Darnell Collins, and Jeremy Winston are part of that conversation, along with veterans Chris Elko, Rahkeem Smith, Jaiven Plummer, and Joseph Moseley. Last season, the Jackets had more certainty and more defined roles at the position.
Right now, Saturday is a chance to see who is ready to become a reliable rotation piece and who can make plays.
On defense, the interior of the line is a major area to watch. Georgia Tech has had trouble in recent years stopping the run, staying gap sound, and creating consistent disruption in the backfield from the middle of the defensive front.
That problem has often looked like one player doing the heavy lifting instead of a group working together. With Jordan Van Den Berg now drafted by the Chicago Bears, the Jackets brought in Tawfiq Thomas through the portal, and he should be a headline player.
But Georgia Tech still needs more from the rest of the interior, especially Christian Garrett and Christian Speakman, who have been mentioned frequently by position coaches and Brent Key. The edge rush has been stronger, but the question is whether the middle of the line can match it by making steady plays behind the line of scrimmage.
The backend of the defense brings another set of questions. Communication breakdowns and busts have hurt Georgia Tech in recent seasons, turning into explosive plays and big touchdowns for opponents.
Tae Harris and Fenix Felton are both expected to take another step in their sophomore seasons, and Savion Riley is back healthy to provide experience and leadership. Behind them, the young names include Isaac Obrokta, Chris Hewitt Jr, Kymani Morales, and Kealan Jones.
That group will be tested quickly by an offense that can stress a defense downfield. Saturday should help show whether the secondary can hold together, disrupt timing, and keep the offense from finding easy rhythm.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Fall Scrimmage Could Shake Up Key Position Battles
Georgia Tech is heading into its first fall scrimmage with a handful of jobs still very much up for grabs, and that gives the weekend a little more weight than a typical checkpoint in camp. Wide receiver Fuhrmann, tight end Corbo, linebacker Outlaw, guard Peay Jr. and defensive lineman Garrett are among the players with a real chance to move themselves up the depth chart if they can put together a strong showing.
For a roster still sorting out who belongs in starting spots and who is ready for a larger rotational role, this is the kind of practice that can start to separate hopefuls from true contenders. The Jackets do not need every answer right away, but they do need to see who can handle the speed, physicality and consistency that come with a live scrimmage, because those first impressions tend to linger well beyond August. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Needs Its Young Safeties To Grow Up Fast
Georgia Techs safety room has become one of the more interesting development stories on campus this fall, not because of veteran star power, but because of how quickly a young group is being asked to settle in. Safety coach Vinnie Sunseri said the room has stayed focused and receptive as it moves through spring, summer and now fall camp, a steady sign for a unit that still has plenty to prove before the season really gets rolling.
Sunseris message has centered on growth as much as execution, with the emphasis on learning from mistakes and adjusting to the programs culture instead of letting early missteps linger. For Georgia Tech, the stakes are obvious: the Yellow Jackets need those safeties to mature quickly, and the next stretch of camp will go a long way toward showing whether the group is ready for the demands ahead. [Read more 🡒]