Georgia Tech’s offensive line picture is starting to come into focus, but one of the biggest questions in camp has turned into a real fight: right guard.
The Yellow Jackets knew this group would need sorting out after losing Keylan Rutledge to the NFL, Joe Fusile to out of eligibility, and Harrison Moore and Tana Alo-Tupuola to the transfer portal. Georgia Tech added only two transfers up front this offseason - Joseph Ionata from Alabama and Markell Samuel from Oklahoma State - and Ionata already looks set to take over at center.
Elsewhere, some of the expected answers are taking shape. Ethan Mackenny is heading into his fourth season and appears locked in as the starting left tackle.
Kevin Peay Jr. seems to have the inside track at left guard. Last year’s starting right tackle, Malachi Carney, shifted inside to right guard, while Jameson Riggs has also worked on the right side and is in the mix.
That right guard spot is where things have gotten interesting. What looked like a straightforward move for Carney has turned into a legitimate competition with Samuel, and Key made it clear this is no formality.
"At right guard, Markell (Samuel) and Malachi (Carney), that's going to be a battle. It really is.
You talk about a welcome addition now. Markell coming in and being healthy now.
He's played, towards the end of spring, played really, really good football. I don't care how many games you've started.
Nothing's given when you walk back out there, guys. And then Jameson (Riggs), who had a really good spring, is also working now.
Jameson is working right. We've always got Malachi who played pretty good football for us last year now.
He can play right tackle."
Carney was Georgia Tech’s highest-graded returning lineman last season, finishing with a 67.9 grade across 768 snaps, including a 72.1 pass-blocking grade. If Samuel wins the right guard job, Carney could slide back to right tackle, where either he or Riggs would be in position to start.
Riggs is the younger name to watch in that mix. He has been developing over the past couple of seasons and is now pushing for a larger role.
Another lineman drawing notice from Key this week was Jordan Floyd, who is entering his third season. He looks more likely to serve as a backup, but fall camp is still the place to force the issue.
With Georgia Tech set to face Colorado on Sept. 3rd, the next few weeks will determine how the starting five settles in. Right guard may end up deciding more than one spot before the Yellow Jackets line up for the opener.
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