Fall camp is almost here for Georgia Tech, and the Yellow Jackets are heading into it with a roster that looks a lot different than the one that finished 2025.
After wrapping up ACC media days last week, Georgia Tech is full steam ahead toward the 2026 season. The Yellow Jackets are coming off a nine-win year, but a wave of offseason change means there are openings all over the depth chart. When they open the season at home against Colorado on Sept. 3rd, plenty of new faces could be in key roles.
One of the biggest questions sits at receiver. Jordan Allen and Isaiah Fuhrmann appear to be the leading options, though nothing is locked in. With a lot of proven production gone from the position, Georgia Tech needs someone to seize the job in camp.
Dalen Penson is a name to keep close tabs on after switching over from defensive back. He brings a former Top 100 recruiting pedigree, elite speed, and some of the best athleticism on the roster.
Transfer Jaiven Plummer is also in the mix. The former Cal receiver has mostly made his mark on special teams, but Georgia Tech is looking for size at wideout, and he brings that element.
The freshman class could also force its way into the conversation. Darnell Collins, Jeffar Jean-Noel, and JJ Winston all have the kind of talent that can make coaches take notice, even if first-year players often have to wait their turn.
Brent Key has already made it clear that the most talented players need to see the field, no matter their age. Debron Gatling is another player to watch as he enters year two with the program.
Up front, the picture is starting to come into focus. Ethan Mackenny is the likely starter at left tackle, Malachi Carney has moved to right guard, and Alabama transfer Joseph Ionata is almost certain to take over at center.
There is still a battle at left guard, where redshirt freshman Kevin Peay Jr is a candidate to replace Joe Fusile. On the right side, Jameson Riggs and Oklahoma State transfer Markell Samuel are competing for the tackle spot.
Jordan Floyd and the Heard twins, both entering their true freshman seasons, are other names worth knowing as camp begins.
The secondary is also in flux, especially at cornerback. Georgia Tech has to replace a lot of experience after losing Ahmari Harvey, Jy Gilmore, and Rodney Shelley, all of whom were major voices on the back end.
Alabama transfer Jaylen Mbakwe and South Florida transfer Jonas Duclona are expected to play major roles, while Daiquan White, Zachary Tobe, Elgin Sessions, Jon Mitchell, and Kelvin Hill are all in the mix for snaps. Freshmen Jaedyn Terry and Trae Stevenson, both four-stars, could also push for rotation time.
Safety may be the youngest room on the roster, but it is not short on talent. Tae Harris looks poised for a breakout, Savion Riley is trying to bounce back after an injury-filled 2025, and Fenix Felton showed flashes late last season.
Kealan Jones impressed as a freshman in the spring and should factor in as well. Isaac Obrokta and Kymani Morales were recruited for other spots, but both are listed at safety on the roster.
Georgia Tech may not have much experience at safety, but it does have options. And as fall camp opens, that makes this one of the more interesting spots to watch.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Just Lost Ground In A Recruitment Fans Thought Was Safe
Micah Rhodes recruitment has taken another turn after the highly regarded 2028 running back backed off his Oklahoma commitment, reopening a race that had once looked settled. The Klein Oak standout already has 34 scholarship offers, and the attention has only intensified around a prospect who has been on the radar of several major programs for a while.
Georgia has stayed involved throughout the process, adding an offer in September and bringing him back for a recent visit in May, while Texas has remained a persistent presence thanks to long-standing ties and repeated trips. For Georgia Tech, the bigger takeaway is how quickly a supposed early win can turn into a crowded chase when a player with Rhodes profile decides to keep his options open. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Fall Camp Could Change More Than Fans Realize
Fall camp is where Georgia Tech starts finding out whether the optimism around this roster has real staying power, and a lot of the attention is centered on Mendoza. The quarterback has drawn praise for the kind of work habits coaches love, the sort that show up long before practice starts and long after it ends, and that has only added to the sense that he could be the player who steadies the offense and raises the ceiling of the whole group.
The bigger question is how many new answers the Yellow Jackets uncover around him. The offensive line has to prove it can hold up better in pass protection and move people in the run game, while the receiver and tight end rooms both have a chance to produce someone who changes the conversation. Add in Outlaws push to earn a larger role and the early buzz around J.P. Powell, and this camp feels like more than a tune-up - it could reshape the depth chart in ways fans are only beginning to see. [Read more 🡒]