Georgia Tech Bye Week Report Cards: Wide Receivers

In the offseason, Eric Rivers was one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal. The Yellow Jackets were able to nab the senior receiver out of the portal, and he was seen as a prized pickup for the Yellow Jackets, especially after they lost Eric Singleton. He was named to the Biltenikoff Award Watch List in the preseason. He was also named a second-team preseason All-America by the Sporting News. Rivers is coming off one of his best games as a Yellow Jacket and was key in getting the offense going in their win against Wake Forest. He finished with eight catches for 77 yards and a touchdown. His impact was major in the win for the Yellow Jackets and avoiding the upset. It feels like Rivers is just getting started and could get into more of a rhythm as the season goes on, especially after this recent performance.

“I knew we had a shot. I knew that this year was gonna be a big year for us. So coming into it, I always expected big things for this team, because I believe in the guys in the locker room and the guys around me. I know that we have a lot of playmakers on offense and defense, so I believe in all the guys in the locker room. So it's a totally complete team. So yeah, I knew we definitely had a chance," said Rivers.

Isaiah Canion has been a breakout player this year for the Yellow Jackets. The young stud wide receiver took his body seriously this offseason and took hard coaching to help improve his game. He’s beginning to see that it paid off. He had one of his better games on Saturday, finishing with four catches and 70 yards, and is quietly establishing himself as a go-to target in the offense. On the season, he has 15 catches for 237 yards and two touchdowns. He is also averaging 15.8 yards per catch. ​

Here is offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner on the emerging star.

“That's probably no surprise at all because we've seen it, and just whether he was going to carry it into games. We're excited about his future. I mean, the guy's getting better and better every week, and that's showing up on film. You guys can see that. His confidence is getting through the roof. He had the one drop the other day, but he plays so fast, and he's big," said Faulkner. "He's a guy that we need to continue to play at the level that he's playing at and even take it a step further. The thing about Isiah is he's ultra-competitive and wants to be better, wants to be coached, loves getting coached hard. He's getting better at practice every day. We're just fortunate we have him.”

Malik Rutherford was a key returning piece for the Yellow Jackets this season, who initially entered the portal before returning. He’s been one of the more consistent and dependable players for Georgia Tech and is tied for the most catches on the team with 16. Rutherford is known for his downfield ability, and while the explosives haven’t been there at the same level as last year, he’s still making plays. Rutherford has 155 receiving yards and a touchdown. With his talent, those numbers should definitely increase as the offense gets in more of a rhythm.

Bailey Stockton is Mr. Do It All for Georgia Tech. He also does special teams for the Yellow Jackets and is a punt returner. Stockton is really good out of the slot, and whenever his number is called, he shows up in a major way. In the season opener against Colorado, when Rutherford went down, Stockton stepped right in and was a go-to option on offense for the Yellow Jackets. He led the team in catches and receiving yards in the wins. On the season, Stockton has 10 catches for 120 yards.

Dean Patterson was another transfer the Yellow Jackets got from FIU. He hasn’t seen as many snaps with how deep the WR position is, but he has shown he can be explosive with the ball in his hands. He had one of his best games against Gardner-Webb this season, finishing with three catches for 87 yards and a touchdown. In one of the plays, he took a screen pass 84 yards for a touchdown, showing how explosive he is with the ball in his hands. He could get more snaps as the season wears on, especially with his ability after the catch. Something to watch the rest of the way for Georgia Tech.

Zion Taylor has been a player who has continued to grind to get to where he is and is a bigger part of the rotation for Georgia Tech. He’s been steady this year with his production when he gets on the field. Taylor has five catches for 77 in 2025, but is another player who could see his production tick up. He has sure hands and is a very dependable wide receiver.

Jordan Allen is a true freshman for the Yellow Jackets and it will be interesting to see if he uses a redshirt the rest of the season or burns it. He’s another explosive player for Georgia Tech. Despite the one catch on the season, he has a 78-yard touchdown and is a guy who could also have an impact down the line. What will Georgia Tech do with the true freshman?

When you look at the position as a whole, there has been production, but not at an elite level. It feels like Saturday was the changing of the guard, and the position group got more comfortable winning on the outside. This could loom large with opponents keying in on the Yellow Jackets' top rushing attack in the country. The receivers will have to come up with big plays and produce at a high level. I think if you see this group of explosives, big plays, and consistency increase, it could be a top unit for the Yellow Jackets. The potential is there for the wide receivers; we just have to see it.

Grade: B