There are any number of reasons that players enter the transfer portal and some departures hurt more than others.
Georgia Tech was a program that saw some turnover on its roster, both from the transfer portal and due to players being out of eligibility. The Yellow Jackets are going to have new starters at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, three new starters on the offensive line, defensive tackle, and cornerback. They went to the portal to find what they hope are impact players to help them compete for a spot in the ACC Championship.
Even under Brent Key, there have been players who have transferred out of the program that the team would have loved to have kept. Kyle Kennard transformed into the SEC defensive player of the year at South Carolina , and Romello Height helped guide Texas Tech to the College Football Playoff last season. Those were two players at positions where Georgia Tech has struggled to produce high-end talent, and their departures hurt the following season.
I think there are two players who the Yellow Jackets would love to have back on this roster.
Nov 22, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Isiah Canion (4) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Panthers in the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Canion would have been the top wide receiver on this team this season and it is not particularly close.
After catching 33 passes for 480 yards last season, while splitting targets with Eric Rivers and Malik Rutherford, it looked like it was finally going to be time for Canion to emerge as the top target for the Yellow Jackets. Canion was a four-star, in-state prospect that Georgia Tech flipped from Notre Dame and kept away from rival Georgia.
Until this offseason.
Canion opted to enter the transfer portal this offseason and head to Athens to play for the Bulldogs. Georgia Tech not only lost Canion, but also Rivers, Rutherford, Dean Patterson, Bailey Stockon , and Zion Taylor at the wideout spot, leaving them with a very inexperienced wide receiver room ahead of the 2026 season.
Could players emerge for the Yellow Jackets at receiver? Certainly, but keeping Canion would have been huge for this program.
Oct 26, 2024; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets linebacker Tah'j Butler (15) reacts after a play during the third quarter against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Georgia Tech needs improved play from its linebacker group this season and they are returning most of the same players from last year's team.
The one departure was arguably their most talented linebacker. Tah'j Butler was inconsistent during his time on The Flats, but he flashed a lot of upside and could have been in for a big season.
Butler instead decided to enter the transfer portal this offseason and went to Ole Miss, where he will be on a team hoping to compete for an SEC title and college football playoff berth.
Georgia Tech brought in two freshmen linebackers, but no transfers. They are hoping for bounce back seasons from their veteran players and that is a gamble, but under new defensive coordinator Jason Semore, this position is looking to have a bounce back season. Butler would have been a great player to have in this room and the Yellow Jackets may very well miss him this season.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/georgiatech as Two Transfers Georgia Tech Could Really Use on Its 2026 Roster .
