Three Mercer Players To Watch Against Georgia Tech This Saturday

Georgia Tech welcomes Mercer to the Flats tomorrow and is looking for the first win of the year. Today, we take a look at three players the Yellow Jackets must keep an eye on this Saturday to come out with a victory.

1. WR Brayden Smith

Smith leads the Bears in catches (17), receiving yards (284), and longest reception (51 yards) this season. Smith has finished with 100 receiving yards in two of the first three games this season. He is also averaging 16.7 yards per catch and is a dangerous deep threat. Smith also has a solid Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade of 78.6 on 128 snaps this season.

The senior WR has started off his senior campaign the right way and has been tough to stop so far. It will be an interesting challenge for the Yellow Jackets, who currently have the No.20 pass defense in college football and have been playing at a high level on that side of the ball in 2026. With quarterback Jaylen King improving and Smith’s ability, they'll have chances to hit on plays downfield. Can the Yellow Jackets stop it again on defense?

2. LB Jyarius Carter

One of the things the Yellow Jackets want to do is run the ball and do it at a high level. One of the key players who will be responsible for slowing that down is Carter. Carter leads his team with 30 tackles. He also has a pass defended and a half sack in 2026. Where he really separates himself is how good he is against the run. Carter has an elite PFF Run Grade of 81.3.

He also has five stops in the run game. He’s not just a run-stopping linebacker, however, and has improved a ton in rushing the passer. Carter has improved his pass rush grade from a 65.9 to 80.3 from 2025 to 2026. He also had eight total pressures and six QB hurries through eight games this season. He’s just as good against the run as he is in creating havoc for quarterbacks. Georgia Tech will need a plan to slow him down on Saturday.

3. CB Justin Ferguson

Ferguson is one of the team's best cover cornerbacks. In addition to his 12 tackles, he also has two passes defensed. He leads the Bears with two interceptions. Of his 12 tackles, 11 are solo. After the Yellow Jackets struggled to protect the football last week, Ferguson will be one to watch to see if he can get his hands on passes again this week.

He has great anticipation and a knack for making big-time plays in coverage. Ferguson has registered a 72.7 coverage grade this year, which is right on par with a starting-caliber cornerback. He also posted an impressive 81.1 defensive grade and an 81.6 coverage grade vs. Presbyterian. The Yellow Jackets will have to be careful when throwing into his direction.

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