Five Players Georgia Tech Must Retain During The Transfer Portal

Cornerstone players Georgia Tech must keep if they want to take the next step in 2026.

Nov 28, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Isiah Canion (4) runs against Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Nnamdi Ogboko (95) during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The transfer portal period is right around the corner for the Yellow Jackets. Fortunately, it has been very quite for Georgia Tech with only Peyton Joseph hitting the transfer portal. He was a reserve offensive lineman in year one. The rest of the team seems to be locked in and focused on next year. Let's take a look at who the Yellow Jackets must retain this transfer portal cycle

1. RB Malachi Hosley 

Nov 22, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Malachi Hosley (0) walks off the field after a loss to the Pittsburgh Panthers at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

I highly doubt that he would transfer or go elsewhere, but Hosley will likely field a lot of offers after a productive season for the Yellow Jackets. He rushed for 634 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. He averaged an impressive 7.3 yards per carry. Hosley became RB1 for the Yellow Jackets this season and took a bulk of the carries, especially in critical games. He was constantly moving the chains and running with force. Hosley has the perfect combination of balance, speed, and agility all in one back. Hosley will be the starting running back next for the Yellow Jackets, but could field bigger D1 offers from other programs. 

2. WR Isiah Canion 

Nov 22, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Isiah Canion (4) catches a pass against the Pittsburgh Panthers in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

He was the second-leading wide receiver on the team and took a big step forward in 2025. Canion finished with 38 catches, 480 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He had a number of games in which he came up big for the Yellow Jackets and flashed his potential, especially against Pittsburgh. Canion finished with four catches for 54 yards. His big body frame at 6’4 and 215 pounds makes him a go-to target, especially in the red zone, where he did a lot of his damage. An area he grew was yards after the catch and not going down after the first tackle. He can easily become WR1 for the Yellow Jackets, but with his performance during his sophomore season, he could garner more attention. 

3. LB Cayman Spaulding 

Georgia Tech LB Cayman Spaulding | Photo Via Najeh Wilkins (SI)

A player who got better as the season went on. You can’t replace his tenacity, athleticism, and physicality. Spaulding will be a key player moving forward with all that he can do on the gridiron. He finished with 38 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a pass defensed, and an interception. He finished with six tackles in each of the final three games. Pittsburgh was the game he truly showed his potential, registering two sacks and being a pest in the backfield on designed blitzes and playing in the box. Spaulding has major upside for the Yellow Jackets and could be a key piece in the defense, playing at the level it did at the start of the season. 

4. DL Christian Garrett 

Christian Garrett is a freshman to watch at Georgia Tech | Georgia Tech Athletic

Yes, he is just a freshman and played sparingly this season, but in his limited time, he was still graded as one of the highest players on the team per PFF. He finished with a 77.9 defensive grade on 48 snaps. He creates havoc and is a constant presence in the backfield. He finished with eight tackles, 1.5 sacks and a pass defensed. Garrett can easily emerge as a starter for the Yellow Jackets in 2026. Georgia Tech desperately needs a guy to emerge on the defensive line and become a guy for them who can consistently wreak havoc. Garrett has the potential to become just that. 

5. Safety Fenix Felton

Nov 28, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Nate Frazier (3) is tackled by Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive back Fenix Felton (31) in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Really wasn’t seen until the final game of the regular season against Georgia, but the potential is there. He is already turning heads among the coaching staff. Felton finished with six tackles in the game against Georgia. In the small sample size, he showed his ability to cover at a high level and come down in the box and tackle. With that experience and a full offseason, he should emerge as a starter for Georgia Tech, especially with the departure of Clayton Powell-Lee and Omar Daniels. Why must Georgia Tech retain him? It is simple. It is because he is the future and has the ability to change the defense for the better with his skill set. 

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