Brent Key is basically building a wall around Atlanta, and honestly, the 2025 season felt like the first time the blueprints actually turned into a skyscraper. You've got a team that just finished 9-4, made it to the Pop-Tarts Bowl, and for the first time in forever, isn't looking at a total roster overhaul. The Georgia Tech football depth chart 2025 was defined by one word: stability. Well, stability and a whole lot of Haynes.
It’s kinda wild when you look at how much this program has shifted. Usually, Georgia Tech is the team everyone expects to be "rebuilding" or "scrappy." But in 2025, they were the ones everyone was chasing in the ACC for a good chunk of the year. They started 8-0. Read that again. 8-0! That doesn't happen by accident. It happens because you have a quarterback who finally figured out how to be elite and a coaching staff that stayed (mostly) out of its own way until the very end.
The Quarterback Room: Life After Haynes King
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the Longview, Texas legend. Haynes King was the heartbeat of the Georgia Tech football depth chart 2025. He didn't just play; he broke records. We're talking about a 72.9% completion rate—shattering Joe Hamilton’s school record and even sliding past the ACC mark. He was the team's top rusher for much of the season, which is both a compliment to him and a slight worry for the backfield depth at the time.
But King is gone now. He's exhausted his eligibility and is heading for the 2026 NFL Draft. So, who's next?
The depth chart for 2025 actually had some fascinating insurance policies. Graham Knowles, that massive 6-7 kid, sat right there in the backup spot. Most people thought Aaron Philo would be the heir apparent, but he hit the transfer portal right before the bowl game. It’s one of those moves that makes you realize how cutthroat the depth chart can be. If you aren't the guy now, you're looking for a place where you can be the guy tomorrow.
For 2025, the order was:
- Haynes King (Senior/Starter)
- Graham Knowles (Freshman/Backup)
- Grady Adamson (Freshman/Depth)
The "Justice" System: A New Era at Running Back
If you followed the news on January 14, 2026, you saw the bombshell. Justice Haynes is coming home. The former Michigan standout and son of Tech legend Verron Haynes signed with the Jackets. This is huge because the 2025 depth chart was losing its biggest weapon in Jamal Haynes.
In 2025, the running back room was a bit of a "by committee" situation behind Jamal. You had Malachi Hosley and Trelain Maddox taking reps, but nobody quite grabbed the reins. Jamal Haynes finished with over 500 yards, but compared to his 1,000-yard 2024, it felt like the offense shifted more toward King’s arm.
The 2025 rotation usually looked like this:
Jamal Haynes was the workhorse. Then you had a rotation of Malachi Hosley, Trelain Maddox, and Chad Alexander. It was a crowded room, but with Justice Haynes joining for 2026, expect that depth chart to be much more top-heavy.
Receivers and the "Speed Problem"
One thing Brent Key has definitely fixed is the lack of explosive playmakers. Malik Rutherford and Eric Rivers were absolute menaces in 2025. Rivers, specifically, turned into a legitimate WR1, often backed up by Zion Taylor or Debron Gatling.
The interesting part of the Georgia Tech football depth chart 2025 was the youth at receiver. Look at guys like Isiah Canion. He’s 6-4, 215 pounds, and only a sophomore. He was starting over seniors like Dean Patterson toward the end of the year. That tells you everything you need to know about where this program is going. They aren't just playing the oldest guys; they're playing the best athletes.
The Tight End Carousel
Tight end was... complicated. It was a "by committee" nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators but a headache for fantasy owners.
- J.T. Byrne
- Luke Harpring
- Brett Seither
- Josh Beetham
They all played. They all caught passes. Byrne was technically the starter, but Harpring (the 6-3 freshman) is the one everyone is eyeing for the future. He’s got that "it" factor.
The Trenches: Where Brent Key Wins
You can’t talk about Tech without talking about the O-line. Brent Key is an O-line guy. It’s in his DNA. The 2025 line was anchored by Joe Fusile and Keylan Rutledge. These guys are massive. Fusile is 6-6, 320. Rutledge is 6-4, 330. They kept Haynes King clean for most of the year, which is why his completion percentage stayed in the stratosphere.
On the flip side, the defensive line saw some big names depart for the NFL. Zeek Biggers, the human mountain, got drafted by the Dolphins. Jackson Hawes went to the Bills. Replacing that size isn't easy. Jordan Van Den Berg had to step up as the primary "Tackle" starter, with guys like Akelo Stone and Matthew Alexander rotating at the Nose.
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Defensive Secondary: The Crowded Room
The secondary was easily the most "crowded" part of the team. We saw a lot of 4-2-5 looks from defensive coordinator Blake Gideon. Ahmari Harvey and Rodney Shelley held down the cornerback spots, but the depth was insane. You had Daiquan White and Jon Mitchell breathing down their necks for playing time.
At safety, Clayton Powell-Lee remains the leader. He’s the guy who makes sure everyone is lined up correctly. Savion Riley and Omar Daniels rotated at Free Safety, and it felt like every week there was a new name making a play. It's a "good problem" to have, honestly.
Coaching Turnover: The 2025 Exodus
Success has a price. After going 9-4, everyone wanted a piece of Brent Key’s staff. Buster Faulkner, the offensive coordinator who deserves a statue for what he did with Haynes King, left for Florida. He took a few people with him. Then the O-line coach left. Then the linebackers coach.
It’s gonna be weird seeing a different face calling plays in 2026. Faulkner’s "pro-spread" was perfect for King. Whether the next guy can adapt that to a post-King world is the million-dollar question.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Transition
If you're a fan trying to keep up with the Georgia Tech football depth chart 2025 and how it morphs into 2026, here’s what you need to do:
- Watch the Portal: The addition of Justice Haynes is just the start. With the offensive staff leaving, watch for more Michigan or Florida players to potentially follow coaches or look for fresh starts in Atlanta.
- Monitor the QB Battle: Without Aaron Philo, Graham Knowles is the guy by default, but don't be shocked if Brent Key brings in a veteran "bridge" quarterback from the portal to compete with the youngsters.
- Keep an Eye on the Freshman D-Line: Guys like Christian Garrett and Andre Fuller were backups in 2025, but they are the projected starters now that the "super seniors" have moved on.
- Season Ticket Priority: The 2025 schedule was brutal, and 2026 doesn't look much easier. If you want seats for the Georgia game (Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate), you basically have to be a season ticket member at this point.
The 2025 season was a proof of concept. It showed that Georgia Tech can compete at the top of the ACC. The depth chart reflected a team that was older, stronger, and finally deeper than its opponents. Maintaining that without Haynes King and Buster Faulkner is the next great challenge for Brent Key.
Keep a close eye on the spring practice reports. That is where we will see if the "next man up" philosophy actually holds water or if 2025 was just a lightning-in-a-bottle moment for the Yellow Jackets.