Which New Georgia Tech Addition Changes The Yellow Jackets Ceiling The Most?

Georgia Tech is set to begin fall camp tomorrow, and the Yellow Jackets will begin their journey for a season that they hope ends up as an improvement over the previous season.

The program has seen a lot of change this offseason, with two new coordinators and 19 new transfers coming in, with several of them in line to compete for starting jobs. The big names include QB Alberto Mendoza, RB Justice Haynes, and CB Jaylen Mbakwe, and all three of those players are going to make major impacts (they hope) on the team. But I think there is one player who is slipping through the cracks and could change Georgia Tech's ceiling.

Noah Carter's impact

Noah Carter Alabam — Aug. 3, 2025; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Linebackers Noah Carter (24) and Jah-Marien Latham (20) ready themselves for a drill during practice Sunday at the University of Alabama. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It has been quite a while since Georgia Tech has been able to consistently rush the passer and sack the quarterback. If this program is going to take the next step under Key and make a run at the ACC Championship and the College Football Playoff, they have to improve the defense.

Noah Carter was a Top 100 recruit coming out of high school and was described by 247Sports analyst Blair Angulo as an "Uber athletic edge rusher with two-way production. Multifaceted defender with ability to move well laterally. Shows terrific bend and explosiveness in pursuit. Thrives in stand-up role where he can crossover blockers. Uses his quickness to the outside to put immediate pressure on offensive tackles".

He did not play during his freshman season with the Crimson Tide, then upped his snap count to 88. According to Pro Football Focus, Carter finished with a 70.5 overall defensive grade in those limited snaps.

Can Carter take his game to another level? That is the kind of bet that Georgia Tech's defensive staff is making, and I think it is a smart one.

Georgia Tech's defense has not had a player get to double-digit sacks since Jeremiah Attaochu in 2013 and have not had many consistent pass rushers since. Keon White had a really solid 2022 season with 7.5 sacks and Kyle Kennard showed flashes (though he was much improved when he transferred to South Carolina), but the Yellow Jackets have not had a standout pass rusher and it has hurt them on the defensive side of the ball.

During the spring, DE/OLB coach Kyle Pope complemented Carter's speed and athleticism plenty during this spring, then Carter went out and had a really strong spring game performance:

"But a guy like Noah Carter, when I say very excited about him, because at the end of the day, with Noah, you talk about a guy that was a receiver in high school. So you already see the speed, the movement patterns and things like that. He'll go bite your face off if you need to as well. That's what excites me about him. He only knows one speed. He only knows one way of doing things. And that's what I love about him. He's a guy that just wanted an opportunity to show what he can bring to the table. He's getting that opportunity."

Carter having a successful season is not going to be enough for Georgia Tech's ceiling to be raised, but a successful pass rush is not something that we have seen under Brent Key yet. Georgia Tech needs Alberto Mendoza, Justice Haynes, Isaiah Fuhrmann, and Jaylen Mbakwe to have good seasons, but having a consistent, athletic edge presence could really change the outlook for this team in 2026.

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