2026 Georgia Tech RB Target CJ Givers Talks Yellow Jackets, Junior Season & Upcoming Junior Day Visit

The pursuit is on for one of the top running backs in the Peach State. 2026 RB CJ Givers put together another impressive season for Fellowship Christian running back. Givers led the Paladins to the quarterfinals of the playoffs before going out with an injury that set him out of the semifinals in a close loss to eventual private state champions Hebron Christian.
Nonetheless, Givers finished the season with 1,403 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. He finished with a total of 1,831 all-purpose yards. I think what is most impressive about his season was his ability to get more production with fewer reps. Givers averaged 9.3 yards per carry.
"I would rate it probably an eight because we came up a little bit short. I got injured in the quarterfinals so I wasn’t able to play. I had a lot fewer carries than my sophomore year but about the same amount of yards so that just shows how much my production went up from sophomore year to junior year. That was a big focus of mine, my yards per carry and I averaged 9.3 yards per carry this year so that was a huge thing for me. That was a huge accomplishment for me. I just wanted to be an all-around back. I might have got fewer carries this year but I was on the field more. All the backs you see getting paid in the NFL and that are successful in college are three-down backs. They can do it all. It was a big thing for me and I felt like I was able to show that during my junior season."
So what led to more production with fewer reps for Givers this season? Film study. The difference was taking a deeper look than before and understanding what was happening on the field simultaneously as the play was happening. Givers explains it best.
“Honestly I feel like it is all in film study. If you keep studying film, it will slow the game down for you. You will see things you have never seen before. During my sophomore year I watched film, but I didn’t really study the film that much. Now that I am studying way more in my junior year, I was able to see a hole that I might not have been able to see last year because I watched film,” said Givers. “I can pick up tendencies on defenses with certain plays by watching film. If this hole closes up, I know where my back cut is. Things like that help me become a more efficient back and film study helps a lot with that.”
Something that Georgia Tech fans will love about Givers and his game is his home run ability. When you watch his film you see how quickly he can get to the second level and make you pay. He’s looking to score each time he touches it. Givers is not just good in spurts of the game or winds down as the fourth quarter comes. He is gets stronger and faster and torches defense when it matters the most.
“It’s probably the home run play. I am the type of back to get three or four yards and then break a 15 or 20-yarder. I want to get better as the game goes on. You want to be able to have the conditioning to keep going and to have the burst you had in the first quarter in the fourth quarter. I believe I am really good at that home run talent in the fourth quarter,” said Givers. Track is a huge thing. The conditioning that we get from track practices is the best that you can get. You are just running. It might suck during it but after you are like I feel good. I feel productive. Let’s go. You’re in the best shape. During the summer we have our summer workouts, and we do sprints as a whole team. I work out with Dustin Moore and do some explosive and speed work with him as well.
So what is coming up next for CJ? He is still mapping out his spring schedule and his visits in March but he is hearing the most from these schools that want him on campus.
“I’ve heard from Georgia Tech, NC State, Indiana, Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Kansas.
Close to 20 schools have offered 2026 RB CJ Givers and Georgia Tech, Indiana and NC State are high on his list early.
— ChadSimmons (@ChadSimmons_) January 9, 2025
He talks that trio and his plan moving forward: https://t.co/HlLlMLjlDn (On3+) pic.twitter.com/pfyYjepA2g
Out of that list, Givers has two schools that he is locked in with right now for the rest of January and early February.
“I think I am going to make it to Georgia Tech junior day. I am also going to go to the NC State one. Those are coming up in the next few weeks.
NC State is another program to watch for CJ who talked very complimentary about the program.
“I like how their offense works and just how their scheme fits me as a running back. They like to give their guys touches. Their thing is if you can score, you are going to get time on the field. I can score, so it is really cool to see the direction they are going,” said Givers.
Georgia Tech is very much in the race for Givers but likely will have to battle their ACC rival NC State to land him. The Yellow Jackets defeated NC State last year 30-29 in an epic finish on Thursday Night. Here is what Givers had to say about the Yellow Jackets.
“I’ve been to Georgia Tech more than a few times now. I love it up there. I have a great time every time I go up there. That atmosphere is crazy too. They are trending in the right direction with coach Key. They have put together another impressive year. My friend Josh Petty is going there so that’s big as well. I like Georgia Tech a lot. I feel like that would be a good place for me. They like to run the ball.” said Givers.
Givers has continued to build his relationship with Georgia Tech RB coach Norval McKenzie and he holds in high regard.
“Coach McKenzie is my guy. I’ve been building a relationship with him for the past two years. Everytime I go up there he treats me like family. I love him and really enjoy being around him. Jamal Haynes is a great back who can do it all. The guy you look for in the NFL. He’s one of those guys. I just want to be developed like that and I feel like Coach McKenzie can do that,” said Givers.
Just like most prospects who have interest in the Yellow Jackets, education is paramount. Georgia Tech is one of the best programs in the nation when it comes to academics and helping their alumni and players be successful at the next stage in life. Givers has taken notice and loves the city of Atlanta.
“Education is a big thing for me. Life after football is important. You can’t play this sport forever, so I just want to make sure I pick a major I am really interested in and just something that I really love to do. Atlanta is a great city. I love Atlanta. When I’m out there on the Georgia Tech campus, it doesn’t even feel like I’m in Atlanta to be honest. I feel like I am on a college campus in a college town.” said Givers.
He was on campus for the Miami upset last year that helped define the great season for the Yellow Jackets and shared his thoughts about the atmosphere and
“Yeah that was a crazy game. I remember sitting in the stands looking around and was like dang I can’t believe this is a 12:00 game. It was loud. It was rocking. When they beat them that was crazy.
Another thing of note for Givers is his inclination to constantly want to improve his game. He looks at his game and find ways to fine tune it and make sure he doesn't leave any stone unturned. One of his biggest goals is to be a complete back and that starts with being more of a threat out of the backfield.
“I want to catch the ball more out of the backfield. I had a decent amount of receptions my junior year, but I think that we’re going to have to use me a lot more in the passing game this upcoming year. You know, lining up in the slot more and getting some work like running routes and those types of things so I can be a dump down or have some designed plays for me. Just to move the formations around a little bit so I can be a threat in the slot too,” said Givers.
As you can see Givers wants to be a complete back before his high school career is over and looks to add another facet to his already impressive game. It will obviously be a battle to land the services of Givers, but Georgia Tech is one of the frontrunners out of 15 offers that Givers has. It will be important they continue to push and have him around campus as much as possible to land the stud running back.