For its Saturday matchup against No. 5 Georgia, Georgia Tech will likely be short one defensive starter due to injury, coach Paul Johnson said Wednesday.

Johnson declined to identify the player.

“You’ll find out (on Saturday),” Johnson said.

Tech has had a run of good health in recent weeks. In the past three games, there has only been one instance in the starting 22 of a change  – when Victor Alexander started ahead of Charlie Thomas at Jack linebacker – and Thomas still played in the game.

A possibility is cornerback Lamont Simmons, who left the Virginia game last Saturday in the third quarter with a lower-body injury. Backup Ajani Kerr finished out the game in his place. Kerr has started two games this season.

The missing player likely won’t be linebacker Brant Mitchell, safety Tariq Carpenter or defensive ends Desmond Branch and Anree Saint-Amour. All four spoke with media on Tuesday, which would not have happened had they been injured and unable to practice.

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Tech’s recruiting class ranks 12th among ACC programs and 41st nationally. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. (center) is flanked by GOP whip Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. (left) and Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, as Thune speak to reporters at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Earlier Tuesday, the Senate passed the budget reconciliation package of President Donald Trump's signature bill of big tax breaks and spending cuts. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

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