Georgia Tech’s cornerback room enters fall camp with a lot to prove and not much margin for error.
Last season’s pass defense was among the nation’s worst, and the Yellow Jackets were carved up late by NC State, Boston College, and Pittsburgh before turning in their best showing of the year against Georgia. Now the challenge is bigger: Georgia Tech has to replace its top three cornerbacks and hope the next wave is ready fast.
Ahmari Harvey, Rodney Shelley, and Jy Gilmore are gone to the NFL, and they were the best pieces in last year’s secondary. That leaves Georgia Tech leaning on internal development, two portal additions, and a freshman class that carries real upside.
The transfer pair is the most obvious place to start. Jaylen Mbakwe arrives after two seasons at Alabama playing wide receiver, though cornerback is his more natural spot.
A former five-star recruit, Mbakwe is expected to push for an immediate role and could win a starting job right away. The other newcomer, Duclona, was one of South Florida’s best defenders a year ago, posting a 74.7 overall grade on 581 snaps with a 79.2 coverage grade per Pro Football Focus.
He, too, is expected to compete for a starting spot.
If Mbakwe and Duclona hit quickly, Georgia Tech has a chance to cut down on the explosive plays that hurt it so badly a year ago.
The bigger question, though, is whether the returnees can take a real step forward.
Jon Mitchell is the highest-graded returning cornerback on the roster after logging only 122 snaps in his first season following a transfer from Penn State. He finished with a 67.6 overall defensive grade and a 68.4 coverage grade - solid, if unspectacular, numbers that at least give the Jackets something to build on.
Daiquan White is heading into his second year with the program after transferring from Eastern Michigan. He played 288 snaps last season and posted a 65.0 overall grade with a 64.4 coverage grade. Zachary Tobe brings the most experience of that group, entering his third season in the program after playing 418 snaps and finishing with a 64.1 overall grade and a 62.3 coverage grade.
Kelvin Hill also saw plenty of action, playing 408 snaps in his first year with Georgia Tech and ending with a 61.6 overall grade and a 62.3 coverage grade. Elgin Sessions, meanwhile, appeared in just 40 snaps as a true freshman, but the staff clearly sees something there and will give him a chance to compete for more work.
For this defense to move in the right direction, Georgia Tech needs more from Mitchell, White, Tobe, and Hill than it got last season.
Then there’s the freshman class, which could matter sooner than expected. Jaedyn Terry was the highest-rated prospect in Georgia Tech’s 2026 recruiting class, and at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, he has the size and athletic tools to get on the field at some point this season.
Trae Stevenson Jr. was an early commitment the Yellow Jackets held onto even after bigger programs got involved, and he brings a similar frame and a high ceiling. L.J.
Crumity is smaller than Terry and Stevenson, but he stands out for his instincts and ball skills.
Of that group, Terry and Stevenson look like the freshmen most likely to play this season at cornerback. Even so, their biggest impact may not come until 2027 and beyond.
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Melvin Jordan IV, Cayman Spaulding, E.J. Lightsey and Kyle Efford are all expected to have major roles, so the early question is less about who is available and more about how quickly the group adapts to Semores more aggressive approach. Braylon Outlaw and CJ Gamble give Georgia Tech some developmental depth, but the real pressure is on the returning linebackers to set the tone in a scheme that is supposed to be faster, more disruptive and a lot better at turning effort into stops. [Read more 🡒]