Three Georgia Tech Players to Watch On Saturday Vs Mercer

With Saturday nearly here and game day on the Horizon, the Yellow Jackets will have several players you need to watch this weekend who will have major roles. Let’s take a closer look at who they are.

1. Cayman Spaulding

Cayman Spaulding is one of the most athletic linebackers on the team and makes the Yellow Jackets better when he is on the field. Spaulding hasn’t played much and has seen only 50% of the snaps. He needs more snaps and could help address some of the defensive issues affecting the Yellow Jackets this season. Last year, he had 41 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a pass defensed. With only five tackles this year, he is not getting the same opportunities. However, Coach Key said that will change, and he has been the best version of himself. Expect for that role to expand on Saturday.

“Cayman's one that's been very productive when he's been on the field. uh you know, he's played probably about 50% of the snaps right now. Cayman's another one that we got to get on the field because Cayman can run. Uh, you know, he's explosive, and I've talked about him since preseason camp. He's been the best version of himself, and it's shown with his production on the field, and we got to continue to put them in those positions,” said Key.

2. Vincent Carroll Jackson

It’s been quite the week for Vincent Carroll-Jackson, who was named a student-athlete of the week and has been impressing the coaching staff. Carroll-Jackson has 10 tackles through two games, along with a pass defensed. He’s been clogging the interior and was a key part of Tawfiq Thomas's best game as a Yellow Jacket last week, taking on two blocks at once.

If he can keep playing that way, Georgia Tech should be able to solve its run-defense issues and create more havoc at the line of scrimmage. They need someone to emerge alongside Thomas, and it looks like the pairing of Carroll-Jackson and Thomas could continue to pay dividends. Expect for his role to continue to increase.

“Vince is somebody I've been really proud of, coming in here and how he's acclimated and how he's improved himself. He’s really matured and grown so much in the last eight months and puts really productive play on the field. The way he plays the game, big body in there that we've desperately needed. Been proud of him. Vincent Carroll Jackson's played really good football. Can he improve? Yeah, can improve. Everybody can improve. But the reason Tawfiq is having a lot of success is number 99's eaten up two blocks a lot of times, a lot of times. It's a team game, team defense, consistently. Gotta have 11 guys doing their job and doing the best of their ability, and why not show up as stat lines to people, right? They're pretty damn important in how they execute the defense,” said Key.

3. Trae Stevenson

This is a big week for the freshman cornerback, who has continued to grow into his role for the Yellow Jackets. In the first game, Stevenson had only eight snaps, but vs. Tennessee that number rose to 34. He took full advantage and blocked a punt, resulting in a special teams touchdown. He has been ready for every opportunity and has taken full advantage.

With Jaylen Mbakwe injured and possibly missing this week, Stevenson has another chance to get more reps at cornerback and build much-needed experience that could pay off later in the year. He already has great size at 6’1 and 195 pounds and is very technically sound. Saturday could be a day he plays himself into the permanent rotation and becomes a major cornerback to build around the future for the Yellow Jackets. Mercer should be the first glimpse we see of him getting a major role increase.

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