One Underrated Player in Georgia Tech's Tight End Room

Georgia Tech has probably one of the better tight end rooms in quite a while, especially from a talent perspective, and what they can do in the passing game.

The collection of talent is undeniable, and the Yellow Jackets were active in the portal, bringing in Gavin Harris, Spencer Mermans, and Chris Corbo. All three should be key contributors to the Yellow Jackets' success in 2026 and make an impact. There is one name, however, that is not being talked about enough. Unless you are in tune with the Yellow Jackets program and know the ins and outs, this name will fly under the radar.

Breakout season incoming

This player was very productive in the spring and continued to turn heads with his ability. He also had a good showing in the spring game and finished with six catches for 70 yards. With so many injuries to the tight ends in the spring, he took full advantage of his opportunities. This 6’8 massive tower will be a problem for opposing defenses. I am talking about no other than Kevin Roche Jr, who will be the next breakout tight end for Georgia Tech.

The reason is that early in the season, he will not covet a lot of the attention and will go largely unnoticed. However, when you look at different formations like 13 personnel (1 running back, three tight ends, 1 wide receiver) or even 12 personnel (1 running back, two tight ends, and two wide receivers), there will be a number of opportunities for Roche Jr to be featured in these packages. He has continued to improve as a blocker and has proven he can slip out and be a major target on critical downs and distances. He also doesn’t go down easily and can easily rip 10+ yards after the catch with his athletic ability.

The area where he should really do damage is the red zone. Georgia Tech struggled in this area last season, but now they have a tight end with a huge catch radius who is a walking mismatch. If you throw the ball anywhere in his vicinity, Roche Jr should come down with it and make a play. That will help the Yellow Jackets a lot, especially when defenses key in on the running game and try to prevent Georgia Tech from scoring.

Roche Jr is also very coachable and wants to improve each and every day. He asks the right questions and has the right habits to be a key contributor. You couple everything he did in the offseason, like adding weight, running 20 MPH, showing out in the spring game, and being coachable, you have a player poised for a breakout.

“Kevin is doing a great job. He's had a great spring. He has gotten better every single day. And his want to and his effort, his give a s**** factor is through the roof. He loves football. He loves coming out here. I think that he's doing a great job. Truthfully, like he's put on some weight, right? He looks good out there. And yeah, you're right. Like nobody makes six eight, know, 265-pound guys that can run 20 miles an hour, right? So he's able to help us in a lot of different ways. Really excited to continue seeing the steps he takes and the fall he has,” said tight ends coach Nathan Brock.

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