The 3 Georgia Tech Position Groups That Look Completely Different From Last Season

Which Georgia Tech position groups look different from last season?

Alberto Mendoza is slated to take over Georgia Tech's quarterback room this fall | Georgia Tech Athletic

Fall camp is officially getting underway for Georgia Tech today, and a number of battles across the roster are going to commence for this new-look Yellow Jackets roster.

In some ways, this feels like a new beginning for Georgia Tech. Brent Key is still the head coach of course, but there are two new coordinators and new starters at a number of different positions. Gone are players like Haynes King, Jamal Haynes, Malik Rutherford, Keylan Rutledge, Omar Daniels, Clayton Powell-Lee, Ahmari Harvey, Rodney Shelley, and other playres who helped build the program up under Key and a whole new crop of players are coming in to try and continue moving things forward.

Which position groups look the most different from last season?

Quarterback

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Alberto Mendoza (16) against the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

King was one of the most productive quarterbacks to ever play the position for Georgia Tech, but he is now with the Carolina Panthers. Not only is King gone, but Aaron Philo, the presumed successor to King, hit the transfer portal to follow offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner to Florida.

Grady Adamson and Graham Knowles are back, but Georgia Tech is going to be relying on Indiana transfer Alberto Mendoza to continue the Yellow Jackets' strong quarterback play. Not only is Mendoza, but incoming four-star freshman Cole Bergeron is going to be competing for the backup spot behind Mendoza.

It won't be easy to replace the players who left and this is a new look quarterback room heading into the 2026 season.

Wide Receiver

Nov 15, 2025; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Jordan Allen (85) scores a touchdown during the second half against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

To say that Georgia Tech has a new-look receiver room heading into the 2026 season is an understatement.

Gone are Eric Rivers, Malik Rutherford, Dean Patterson, Isiah Canion, Bailey Stockton, and Zion Taylor are all gone, leaving Jordan Allen as the only returning receiver from last season's team to have caught a pass.

The Yellow Jackets brought in Elon transfer Isiah Fuhrmann and California transfer Jaiven Plummer from the portal, but Georgia Tech is going to need internal improvement from guys like Debron Gatling, Evan Haynes, Rahkeem Smith, Dalen Penson, and the four true freshmen.

This group faces some uncertainty, but Jafar Williams and DeAndre Hopkins hope to find some answers over the next three weeks.

Safety

Omar Daniels and Clayton Powell-Lee played the majority of snaps for Georgia Tech at safety, but they are gone. Tae Harris, who played more than 200 snaps last season, and Fenix Felton, who played more than 80 snaps over the course of the last two games, are back, but the rest of the position is filled with Savion Riley, who missed most of last season with an injury, and a host of true freshmen.

Does that mean that Georgia Tech is going to have bad safety play this season? No, but they are going to need some inexperienced players to show a lot of growth over the next three weeks and show they belong in the rotation ahead of the big week one matchup against Colorado.