One of the most underrated positions on the defense for the Yellow Jackets is linebacker. Today, we take a look at whether we are buying stock in the room to win an ACC title.
While many may sleep on the linebacker position in 2026, the Yellow Jackets will have good talent and veteran leadership necessary to be good in the fall. With four players returning from last year's roster, the group has continuity and camaraderie at a key position. E.J Lightsey and Kyle Efford both led the team in tackles a season ago and will be veterans of the group.
When you think of the identity on defense, both of those names come to mind. They are pillars of the Yellow Jackets' identity. We saw a season ago, when both of these guys were on the Yellow Jackets, that they had a strong defense. When play dropped off, the defense wasn't the same. To help aid in that, the Yellow Jackets brought in a new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
The Yellow Jackets have one of the best linebacker coaches coming in, who will also serve as the defensive coordinator, Jason Semore . Semore will be key to the room's development and growth and has consistently produced top-notch players at the position. With how he coaches defenses, we should see a career year from
Cayman Spaulding is the wildcard of this group and easily the most athletic linebacker in the group. He is a really good coverage linebacker, fast, and physical. He made several plays in the spring game, where you went left in awe and impressed. With his final year coming up, he should be a player they use in a bunch of formations in 2026.
The final reason you should buy stock is because of the youth of the group led by Braylon Outlaw , CJ Gamble , and Kymani Morales . There is one freshman who is buzzing among this group of freshmen.
"The first day of practice, we're in team run, and he's dropping back playing curl flat. Okay, in team run, dropping back in coverage. By the end of the first scrimmage, in the second, I'm ready to get him up there and get him reps.
And by the end, he's the guy that I think is going to play for us. So again, I've said it before, it's shocking that kids develop as 17-, 18-year-olds, right? But he's talented; he can run. He's a football guy. The more he continues to get reps and live reps, let him get in there and fail and make his mistakes and learn from them," said Key.
Naturally, youth will be able to push older guys and create healthy, natural competition. The hunger and competitiveness will only drive the veterans. I think it will be a situation where the Yellow Jackets will play the best players, and if you are a young guy and can play, you will see the field.
With all the talent in this room, the biggest question is whether they can improve their run defense and tackling. Those elements go hand in hand. If the linebackers play at a high level, Georgia Tech should have a much better year defensively.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/georgiatech as Buy or Sell: Are Georgia Tech's Linebackers Good Enough To Win The ACC? .
