Despite departures the offensive line remains one of the ACC’s best
Have you ever wondered why the talent gap seems so vast between the FCS and FBS? Even among the middle-of-the-road teams in the power conferences and your perennial championship contenders? It’s because of the men with their hands on the ground.
Everyone gets a good to great QB now and again, but still can’t seem to rise much above their station. A dynamic running back or receiver can make some big plays that change a game or two, but even most of the bottom-tier teams have solid talent at the playmaking positions. The guys in the trenches are harder to come by, and developing them is even harder in the free transfer market.
What has propelled Georgia Tech’s swift rise from the bottom is the improvement of the offensive line under Head Coach Brent Key (former offensive line coach at Tech and Alabama) and position coach Geep Wade. The past two years saw the same players who struggled under the Collins regime become one of the best units in the country.
This year will see a few veteran players return, but there will also be a dependence on younger guys who are replacing what was a very senior group last season.
Departures
RT Jordan Williams – UDFA Atlanta Falcons
C Weston Franklin – Las Vegas Raiders Minicamp Invite
LT Corey Robinson – Transfer to Arkansas
LT Jordan Brown – Transfer to Arizona
The biggest hits are going to be Jordan Williams and Weston Franklin. Jordan Williams has been slotted in as a starter since his freshman year during the shortened 2020 Covid year, so he was technically a 5th-year senior without a redshirt. Weston Franklin likewise was in the rotation his freshman year and became the entrenched Center during the 2022 season and didn’t miss a single start from that time.
Corey Robinson also held the left tackle position for most of the last three years, but was seeing some younger guys rotate in closer to the end of last season. He is still a sizeable loss as he was graded as one of the best Tackles in the transfer portal during the December cycle. Jordan Brown was the other Left Tackle to leave, but he was most likely going to be passed over this year, as he was rated the lowest offensive performer by Pro Football Focus on Georgia Tech’s offense.
Returning
RG Keylan Rutledge – Last Year Starter
LG Joe Fusile – Last Year Starter
LT Ethan Mackenny – Back-Up w/ 1 Start
Harrison Moore – Back-Up w/ 1 Start
Tana Alo-Tupuola – Back-Up
Benjamin Galloway – Back-Up
Keylan Rutledge and Joe Fusile will be the veteran presence this year for the offensive line. Rutledge was selected to the 1st Team All-ACC last season as well as an honorable mention to the All-American team, and is starting to show up again on the preseason magazines as one of the best in the conference. Fusile is a former walk-on who earned his place as a starter in his redshirt freshman season. He received an honorable mention on the All-ACC team during the 2023 season.
Who will slot where at the other position will probably be determined through Fall Camp, but Ethan Mackenny started to be used in heavy rotation at Left Tackle toward the season’s end and could slot in there. Tana Alo-Tupuola was originally recruited as a Center and was the primary back-up to Weston Franklin for last season. Harrison Moore is a bit undersized for a typical lineman at only 290 pounds, but was very effective in the run game when rotated in and could fit into several positions on the line. Galloway was listed as the primary back-up to right tackle and will likely compete against some new additions.
There are a few more returners than those listed, but these are the ones who are returning as a starter or saw significant time in the rotation.
New Players (247 Rankings)
RT Malachi Carney – Transfer from South Alabama (2022-2024)
RT Will Reed – Transfer from Princeton (2021-2024)
OT Andrew Rosinski – Transfer from UNC (2024 DNP/Redshirt)
OT Josh Petty – 5-Star 29th overall 8th Position
IOL Peyton Joseph – 4-Star 19th Position
IOL Kevin Peay Jr – 3-Star 109th Position
OT Xavier Canales – 3-Star 145th Position
IOL Jimmy Bryson – 3-Star 169th Position
OT JaKolby Jones – 3-Star JUCO 10th Position
Georgia Tech brought in three transfers for immediate help with the losses at the tackle positions. Will Reed comes in as the most experienced player, having spent four seasons at Princeton, and was the full-time starter for the Tigers last year at right tackle. Malachi Carney was a strong addition for the Jackets, being the 6th overall OT in the transfer rankings this cycle, and should slot as the replacement to Corey Robinson early on. Rosinski comes over from UNC without any playing time, but was a highly regarded recruit during the 2024 cycle.
The 2025 signing class was one of the best for Georgia Tech since the Chan Gailey era, and the offensive line recruits highlight that class. Josh Petty is the first 5-star recruit since Calvin Johnson. He will likely need to add some weight, but we likely see Petty competing for snaps in the rotation fairly soon. Even though his weight is below an average offensive lineman, he is strong for his current size, and a good strength program is only going to enhance his abilities. Another recruit who could see early playing time is Peyton Joseph. He already possesses the size to play at the collegiate level and demonstrates great footwork, as seen in his high school film, when protecting the pocket.