One Breakout Candidate In Georgia Tech's Running Back Room That You Aren't Thinking Of

Georgia Tech Football is going to enter the 2026 season with one of the best running back rooms not just in college football, but in the country.

A lot of the attention will go to the dynamic duo of Justice Haynes and Malachi Hosley, and rightfully so. The pair is the only running back returning to college football who averaged over seven yards per carry. Most defenses will gear up to slow down the tandem and take them away in games this season. With them getting a lot of the attention, the rest of the running back room will be slept on.

A name to know

There is one player that nobody is talking about in the running back room who could have a big impact in 2026. That name is J.P. Powell. Now, Powell only had five carries last season for the Yellow Jackets, but he made the most of them and rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown in limited snaps. Throughout his young career, Powell has thrived in efficiency. Whenever he gets an opportunity, he takes advantage and makes the most out of it. He did that once against this past spring.

During the spring, he had a breakout performance and was one of the best running backs on the field, ripping off a 50+ yard run for a touchdown in the spring game. That put everyone on notice that he could be a guy who could be a spark and a big-play guy. You add that ability to a backfield that already has a couple of guys who can go at a high level, and it makes for a dangerous football team. His start-and-stop ability, coupled with his vision and elusiveness, makes him dangerous in the open field. Georgia Tech may have three home run running backs in its backfield in the fall. Imagine Haynes and Hosley need a rest, and you need a spark to get the team going. Hosley can be the guy who comes in and delivers a 30+ yard run to ignite the Yellow Jackets.

Last season, the running back room was talented, but it feels like they have guys who know the system more and can potentially explode in this new look offense under offensive coordinator George Godsey. Powell is one of those players and could have a breakout season. Don’t be surprised if you see him rush for 500+ yards and between 4-6 touchdowns next year for the Yellow Jackets.

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