Most college football programs don’t want to be in a place where they have to be over relaint on true freshmen, but some are talented enough where they get immediate playing time. For Georgia Tech last year, it was a good mixture of both. They did not have to rely on any one freshman at any position, but a number of them got playing time in their first season. Which of those players could be primed for bigger roles in 2025?
Georgia Tech has had a number of wide receivers from last year’s depart either due to eligibility running out or the transfer portal and while they have made two big additions with FIU’s Eric Rivers and Dean Patterson, they are likely going to need some of their younger players to take on a bigger role in 2025. Canion seems like a candidate to do so and become a presence on the outside for Georgia Tech. He caught six passes for 83 yards a season ago and the 6’4 210 LBS WR gives Georgia Tech some needed size on the outside.
Pass rush was a sore spot for Georgia Tech a season ago and while a lot of the players from last year’s defensive line are gone, the Yellow Jackets have a couple of talented players who could be ready for bigger roles. One of them is Amontrae Bradford, a 6’5 250 LBS DE who did not play much last year, but has the physical and athletic ability to step up and have a role in the defensive line rotation.
While the first two players on this list did not play a ton of snaps a season ago, Butler played 191 and flashed a lot of potential. Georgia Tech deploys a number of linebackers in its rotation and Kyle Efford, E.J. Lightsey, and Jackson Hamilton are all back, along with transfer additions Cayman Spaulding (Tennessee Tech) and Melvin Jordan (Oregon State). Butler could see a big leap in year two.
Harpring only played 25 snaps last season, but his talent was obvious. He was the highest-rated member of the Yellow Jackets 2024 class and with Jackson Hawes, Avery Boyd, and Ryalnd Goede gone, Harpring has a chance to find a role in the offense and become a new threat for quarterback Haynes King to use in the passing game.
After playing for Georgia Tech for several seasons, Weston Franklin is out of eligibility and the Yellow Jackets need a new center. Tana Alo-Tupuola was a backup to Franklin as a freshman last season and could be ready to be a starter up front for Brent Key’s team.
Like Bradford, Boyd is going to have a chance to step into an area that was a weakness for the Yellow Jackets last season. Georgia Tech is replacing Romello Height, Josh Robinson, Sylvain Youndjouen, and others this season and is going to need some of the transfers (Clemson’s AJ Hoffler, UTSA’s Ronald Triplette, and Mercer’s Brayden Manley) and young players to step up and get after the passer, as well as stopping the run. Boyd was one of the most underrated recruits of the 2024 class for Georgia Tech and could be ready to take a step up this season.
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