Five Georgia Tech Players Who Have Improved Their Chances of Starting In 2026

Which Georgia Tech Players Have Played Well Enough In Camp to Earn A Starting Position

Kevin Roche Jr has had a great fall camp and could be a starter for the Yellow Jackets | Georgia Tech Athletic

Fall Camp is coming to a close for Georgia Tech, and the Yellow Jackets are preparing to turn their full attention to their first opponent of the season, the Colorado Buffaloes.

Entering camp, Georgia Tech still had some questions that needed answering. They need players to emerge as pass catchers, up front on the offensive line, and everywhere on the defense. There seems to be a quiet confidence coming from The Flats about the team that has been put together in Brent Key's fourth season, but they will have to prove it on the field.

Over the past couple of weeks in camp, who has raised their stock when it comes to being a starter for this team?

TE Kevin Roche Jr

Georgia Tech has used multiple tight ends over the past three seasons and all have different kind of skill set. Even with a new offensive coordinator and three new tight ends coming in via the transfer portal, don't expect just one player to receive the bulk of the snaps at this position.

With that being said, second-year tight end Kevin Roche Jr has had a great fall camp and should be considered more than just a red-zone threat. He has shown the ability to do a little bit of everything and that has increased the chances of him seeing the field.

Chris Corbo and Spencer Mermans have shown out in camp as well, but Roche Jr has a chance for a big breakout season in Atlanta.

WR Dalen Penson

Penson arrived at Georgia Tech as a Top 100 recruit, but came in as a cornerback, and that is where he played during his freshman season. During the spring, head coach Brent Key moved Penson over to wide receiver, a position where the Yellow Jackets have very little experience, and he has made the transition well.

I am not here to say that Penson is going to lead Georgia Tech in receiving, but I think he is going to be a dangerous deep threat and can also be used in multiple different ways, much like how Jordan Allen has been used as a rusher.

Georgia Tech needed players to step up at this position in fall camp and Penson has done so.

OT Jameson Riggs

Riggs has spent the past couple of seasons developing for Georgia Tech and seeing playing time here and there. Since the spring, Riggs has been operating as the starting right tackle, with last year's starter, Malachi Carney, competing at right guard, and he has played well in camp.

There could be some ups and downs with Riggs considering he is a first-time starter, but he has been waiting for his chance to start and should get it this season.

FS Tae Harris

This is not a big surprise, as Harris was expected to become a starter this year after playing over 200 snaps for the Yellow Jackets defense last season, but he has had an excellent fall camp and has the look of a player who is on the verge of a breakout season.

Georgia Tech is going to need him to be ready to have a big season. The Yellow Jackets are inexperienced at safety and lost a lot of snaps, but Harris might be an improvement over what they had and there is a reason that the Yellow Jackets did not add any safeties via the transfer portal.

DL Christian Garrett

I don't think Garrett is necessarily going to start right away this season, but I believe in his ability to play his way towards a spot sooner rather than later.

Despite an injury limiting his snaps last season, he finished the year as one of the highest-graded defenders for the Yellow Jackets. He can be moved inside and out along the defensive front and I think he is the kind of young talent that should have Georgia Tech fans excited and believing that the defense can finally turn around.