What we learned from Georgia Tech’s Transfer Haul and Actions This Portal Cycle: Offense

Georgia Tech lost some pieces but the biggest thing they have is depth at key positions to take a step forward in 2025

Georgia defensive back Daylen Everette (6) and Georgia defensive back Malaki Starks (24) stop Georgia Tech wide receiver Bailey Stockton (87) during the first half of a NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech in Athens, Ga., on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. | Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the transfer portal closed and the offseason rolling along, let's take a look back at what Georgia Tech did in the transfer portal window and what it could tell us about their team this fall

The offensive line is a strength, but Georgia Tech wanted more security here 

During the spring transfer portal, we saw the Yellow Jackets beefed up their offensive line and wanted to get more depth at the position group especially offensive tackle. With the addition of William Reed from Princeton, who is a viable starter and Malachi Carney from South Alabama, the Yellow Jackets have two guys they can depend on to lead the charge. 

Here is more on Reed and what he brings to the Yellow Jackets. 

“He has great size at 6’6 and 305 pounds and is a mover in the round game, mauling defenders out of the way. In pass protection, he has great form and footwork and has shown he can be an anchor. In 2024, he started every game at right tackle and in 2023 appeared in nine games with the Tigers. In 2022, he appeared in five games and was a part of the No. 1 passing offense and the No. 2 scoring offense with Princeton in the Ivy League conference.” 

Here is more on Carney as a player 

“According to 247Sports, Carney is the 6th best offensive tackle in the portal. The 6'4 310 LBS tackle played two years for the Jaguars and last season, he played 855 snaps according to PFF (Pro Football Focus) and finished with a 59.0 overall grade, including a 64.7 in pass blocking and a 66.6 in run blocking. In 2023, he played 317 snaps and finished with a 50.5 overall grade, including a 38.4 grade in pass blocking and 64.8 grade in run blocking.”

Georgia Tech lost some of their starters from a season ago on the offensive line and had to address it in their 2025 recruiting class and in the transfer portal. Spring portal departures on the offensive line for the Yellow Jackets included Brandon Best who signed with Kennesaw State. 

Having A Deep Running Back Room Led To Familiar Faces Leaving 

With so many great playmakers on this team and a deep running back room, we saw talented running back Anthony Carrie hit the transfer portal and dependable veteran Trey Cooley depart. Carrie signed with FIU (Florida International University) and Cooley signed with Troy. 

The Yellow Jackets will have Jamal Haynes, Malachi Hosley, Daylon Gordon, Chad Alexander, Trelain Maddox, and JP Powell all manning the backfield. They still will have a true freshman coming in, Shane Marshall, in the fall. Georgia Tech should be a formidable unit at the running back spot in 2025. 

Tight Ends was another position group with a lot of depth, leading to more departures 

Georgia Tech saw three tight ends hit the transfer portal in Jackson Long, David Prince, and Harry Lodge. 

Long transferred to Georgia Tech after one season with South Florida. He decided to redshirt with Georgia Tech in 2023 and missed all of 2024 with an injury. Prince was a three-star prospect coming out of high school and a two-time all-district player but couldn’t see the field for the Jackets in 2024. Lodge spent a brief time with the Jackets before transferring back to his original team in Wake Forest. 

The Yellow Jackets have five tight ends on the roster: Luke Harpring, Josh Beetham, Brett Seither, J.T. Byrne and walk-on Blake Ragsdale. Georgia Tech will also welcome two tight ends from the 2025 class: three-star Kevin Roche, and three-star Connor Roush. 

Despite Having A Talented WR Core Georgia Tech wanted more speed. 

We saw the Yellow Jackets add to their receiver room in the winter transfer portal really beefing up the position with ready-to-play veterans. The spring window saw the Yellow Jackets not be as aggressive but landing a solid addition that could be another weapon for Georgia Tech on special teams in Raheem Smith from Bowling Green. 

Now, this could be a situation where they look at Smith being used as a potential speciality player and by that I mean certain situations bring him into the game or be a potential kick returner on special teams. He has lightning-quick speed that will be an asset for Georgia Tech, and he is capable of exploding for long gains. 

Smith finished his final season with Bowling Green with 25 catches for 349 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 20 carries for 128 yards and three touchdowns. He had a 40-yard reverse play in a game against Texas A&M this past season. 

We know how creative offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner is and adding another weapon to the arsenal certainly can help a productive offense from a season ago. Expect Smith to be used in various ways on offense.

All in all the offense, they made good additions that can be valuable to get this team to where they want to go in 2025 which is competing for an ACC championship and making the college football playoff. They have more depth than we have seen in recent years, which could prove pivotal in the Yellow Jackets taking the next step.