Why 2026 Is A Big Year For Georgia Tech EDGE Brayden Manley

One final season for the Georgia Tech pass rusher that will loom large

Sep 27, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Robby Ashford (2) runs the ball against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive lineman Brayden Manley (11) during the first quarter at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Coming into 2025, Brayden Manley was one of the biggest transfer portal acquisitions for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, coming from Mercer. He was the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year and was a second-team All-American as a sophomore. It made sense for the Yellow Jackets to acquire him and try to help the defensive line. 

Manley gave a mixed bag in his first season with the Yellow Jackets. He showed some things throughout the season but struggled in other areas. Manley finished his junior season with 17 tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble. 

He began to heat up towards the end of the season and played his best ball, finishing the final two games with a sack against Pittsburgh and Georgia. Manley was extremely disruptive and consistently made plays on the ball to help his team during that stretch of the season. The only problem was we didn’t see that at a consistent level all season. 

What needs to happen in 2026?

When you take a closer look at the numbers, you see potential, but it definitely needs to be more and at a higher level for the talented pass rusher. According to Pro Football Focus, Manley finished with a 66.8 defensive grade, a 69.6 pass rush grade, and a 64.1 run defense grade. He also registered 32 defensive pressures. 

The one area of concern is his tackling grade. Manley finished with a 29.4. He also had a missed tackle rate of 34.5%. For Manley, the missed tackles are a concern, especially given how much teams in the ACC like to run the ball and get the ball out quickly to their playmakers.

It will be an area that has to be cleaned up if he is going to be more effective. We know at the core that Manley can be a problem and a player that can cause havoc for other teams; his defensive ends coach said it best. 

“Manley is just a dynamic player that can affect the game in a lot of different ways,” said defensive ends coach Kyle Pope. 

For Manley, there will be a heightened level of competition on the defensive line. Georgia Tech is 14 players deep at that position and can rotate and keep in fresh bodies. Manley plays predominantly on the edge, but with the additions of Noah Carter, Jordan Walker, and Taje McCoy, along with returning players and young players coming in, it won’t be easy to find consistent playing time.

The Georgia Tech staff has made it known that you will have to compete every day, and no spot is safe. Fall camp will be vital for Manley, and when he does get reps, he will have to earn them and make a bigger impact to see more field time. It is a big year because he is a senior, and it will likely be his final collegiate football season.