Georgia Tech is only six days from opening the season, and the Yellow Jackets already have a handful of players who could reshape what this team looks like in 2026. The mix is pretty obvious: a quarterback with real upside, a massive red-zone target, a cornerback hitting his stride, a new face on the offensive line, and a portal addition who can change the pass rush.
Start with Mendoza, because his importance is easy to see. He gives Georgia Tech a higher ceiling and figures to be central to whatever success the Yellow Jackets find this season.
If he settles in and produces consistently, the team may have its quarterback for the next few years. He has already drawn praise for his processing, his approach, and the way he handles whatever comes his way.
If he can beat defenses at the line of scrimmage and keep making plays, Georgia Tech could be looking at one of the better quarterbacks in the conference. The early part of the season may not be perfect, but the interviews suggest he’s the kind of player who improves with more reps and more playing time.
Then there’s Roche Jr., who brings a problem defenses can’t easily solve. At 6’9 and 265 pounds, with the athleticism to match, he gives Georgia Tech something it hasn’t had in the Brent Key era.
He immediately improves the roster and addresses a real issue from last season: red-zone offense. Once defenses see what he can do near the goal line, he should force attention and likely draw double teams.
With teams already tempted to crowd the box against Justice Haynes and Malachi Hosley, Roche Jr. gives them another reason to hesitate. He also took steps forward as a pass catcher and blocker during the offseason and fall camp, so his role should extend beyond just the red zone.
On the back end, White looks like a player who has arrived at the right time. He stood out in fall camp and also showed well in the spring, and the senior cornerback has clearly been working at a high level.
His game has taken a noticeable jump, and he’s playing the best football of his career. That has put him in position to compete for a starting job.
White has the kind of lockdown ability on the outside that could give Georgia Tech a true shutdown corner opposite Jaylen Mbakwe, and that could make the defense much tougher to deal with. White explained the growth this way:
“Just kind of trusting in uh Coach Kobe, um, trusting in Boogie's defense. Uh, I really like his defense.
He kind of really instilled everything into us.Just kind of laid out a plan for us and the defense as one, and you know everything just kind of clicked for me. Uh I just been focused on the game plan and just trying to follow along with everything,” said White.
The offensive line has its own key piece in Kevin Peay, who may not be getting enough attention. Georgia Tech has plenty of new faces up front, and Peay is one of them.
Last season, he was mostly in a reserve role and didn’t see much action. But he made a big leap this spring and in fall camp, and he now looks like the Week 1 starter.
If he turns into a quality lineman, the Yellow Jackets could be strong up front, especially on the left side next to Ethan MacKenny. That pairing would give Georgia Tech two potential anchors protecting the blindside and driving the run game.
Finally, Jordan Walker already looks like the kind of addition that can shift the tone of a defense. Georgia Tech brought him in through the portal, and he has established himself as a real presence.
Brent Key even made him a permanent team captain, which says plenty about how he carries himself and the impact he has made. Walker is set to start Thursday night and should be a player Georgia Tech can count on for pressure off the edge.
The Yellow Jackets have had trouble consistently getting after the quarterback, but Walker gives them a chance to change that and bring more havoc to the pass rush.
In Other News...
Deion Sanders Now Has An Off-Field Issue Hanging Over Colorado
Deion Sanders has another matter pulling at his attention as Colorado heads into the season, with a bankruptcy court ruling in place that could require him to appear virtually on Sept. 4 if his son Shilos case moves in a certain direction. The judge said Sanders must be available for testimony in the bankruptcy trial, though it would only come on a rebuttal basis if Shilos defense team opens the door to earlier testimony, something they currently do not intend to do.
The underlying case centers on Shilo Sanders effort to discharge more than $11 million tied to a 2022 default judgment stemming from a 2015 altercation with John Darjean. For Deion Sanders, the complication is not just personal but practical, since the possibility of being drawn into the proceeding adds an off-field layer to a program already trying to keep its focus on football. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Opens Against A Scheme Colorados Defense Is Already Feeling
Before Georgia Techs opener arrives, Colorados defense has already been getting a long look at something a little different. Defensive coordinator Chris Marve said offensive coordinator Brennan Marions Go-Go system has been a real test in camp, the kind of scheme that forces a defense to process quickly and stay sharp from snap to snap. Both coordinators are new in their roles this season, and the daily back-and-forth has become part of the work of getting ready for 2026.
Marve framed the matchup in practice as a useful one for the Buffaloes, not just a headache to solve. He pointed to Marions creativity and said the competition between the two sides has pushed each unit to improve, which is exactly what Colorado wants before a Big 12 schedule that will demand it. For Georgia Tech, it means the opening game comes against a defense that has already spent plenty of time thinking about how to handle the kind of offense it will see from the Yellow Jackets. [Read more 🡒]