Two Georgia Tech Players And A Position Group To Watch Against Clemson On Saturday

Watch out for these two players and position group this weekend

Aug 29, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) prepares to pass in the first quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech will need some big contributions in its upcoming game against Clemson if it wants to pull off the upset and shock a national audience on ESPN this Saturday. There are several key players who will need to make an impact and step up for the Yellow Jackets. Here are two key players and a position group to watch this weekend.

1. QB Haynes King-

Aug 29, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) during the first quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

You wouldn’t be doing it right if you didn’t mention King as a player to watch for Georgia Tech on Saturday. He is the leader of this team, and they play with a different energy when he is in the game. In Week 1 against Colorado, he finished with a career-high 156 rushing yards and three touchdowns, and captured the nation’s eye once again in primetime. After his performance, he was named Maxwell Player of the Week and made the Heisman Poll for On3. His health has been a topic of discussion all week, and how he will look against Clemson. King is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country and is tough to slow down when he gets going. He did take a lot of hits in Week 1 against Colorado, and Georgia Tech will have to lessen the load if they want to keep him for the entire season. In his return, the Yellow Jackets will need to get back to the explosive plays in the passing game they saw a week ago with Philo. They have the weapons on the outside to make a difference, and will need to have King hit on the plays down the field. He will provide a big energy jolt for the Yellow Jackets and the fan base as he looks to pull off another upset and add another big win to his resume.

2. DL Akelo Stone-

Nov 12, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive lineman Zeek Biggers (88) and defensive lineman Akelo Stone (97) celebrate after a tackle against the Miami Hurricanes in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Stone has been a nice addition back to the Georgia Tech program. He’s been a great running mate alongside Jordan Van Den Berg, who has desperately needed someone to help him along the defensive line. Stone has answered the call and continued to make impact plays. Last week, he was the third-highest graded Georgia Tech defender, finishing with a 77.7 grade on 32 snaps. Stone finished with four tackles, two sacks, and two tackles for loss. He is currently second on the team in tackles with eight early in the season and leads the team in sacks. An area he is continuing to improve is in the pass rush. He posted a season-high 76.0 grade against Gardner Webb per Pro Football Focus, and has an overall grade of 72.7 pass rush grade for the season. Stone has been fulfilling his role nicely, providing tenacity and edge to the defense. His play on the interior of the defensive line will be vital in this matchup against Clemson.

3. Georgia Tech Offensive Line-

I had to mention a position group here, especially the trenches, because if you want a test to see how good you are, what better way than going against the best? The Georgia Tech offensive line has been really good in the run, especially opening up holes for their elite running back duo in Jamal Haynes and Malachi Hosley, who have already combined for four touchdowns this season. Leading the charge has been All-ACC OL Keylan Rutledge, as he continues to terrorize opponents. Malachi Carney has also been a nice addition as a right tackle for the Yellow Jackets, coming over from South Alabama. If the Yellow Jackets' offensive line can have success against a stout Clemson front, it could be a long day for the Tigers. The area of concern is the pass protection, however. Clemson has two elite pass rushers in Peter Woods and TJ Parker, who can wreck games. They will definitely need a plan for these guys if they want to have success in the passing game and limit the hits that King takes against them.