I just looked him up on Georgia Tech:
2012: Red-Shirted
2013: 11 starts
2014: 8 starts (as you say, Smelter and Waller became WRs 1 and 2)
2015: 7 starts (Brad Stewart became a starter as a true freshman as the year went on), then left team.
2016: Not on team.
Compare that time frame to:
Ricky Jeune
2013: Redshirted
2014: Did not start
2015: Started all 12 games
2016: Started all 13 games
2017: Started all 11 games
Brad Stewart
2015: Started last 5 games
2016: Started all 13 games
2017: Started all 11 games
I would argue Summers wasn't a multi-year starter. He was a starter in 2013, but then got beat out in 2014 and rode the bench. He had 45 yards receiving total in 2014. In 2015, he started off well again (we had just lost both Smelter and Waller to the NFL), but then got beat out again, this time by Ricky Jeune and Brad Stewart. Then he quit.
Michael Summers - Started 26 times in a 3 year period..(Father played football at South Carolina State (1984-88) and in the NFL for the Colts (1988-89).:
Georgia Southern 2016-17: Did not dress for any games … Suffered a knee injury in preseason that required surgery … Was set back again by a calf injury early in the season... Named to 2016-17 Sun Belt Conference Academic Honor Roll.
Georgia Tech 2015-16: Played in seven games at Georgia Tech, making seven starts … Caught 12 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns … Caught a 19-yard touchdown pass, the first score of college career … Had a team-high three catches for 45 yards and 30-yard touchdown vs. Tulane … Recorded a 10-yard reception at Notre Dame … Caught a career-high four passes for 58 yards at Virginia … Left the Georgia Tech team in November 2015 … Graduated in May 2016 and transferred to Georgia Southern, where he was immediately eligible to play.
Georgia Tech 2014-15: Played in all 14 games at Georgia Tech, making eight starts … Had seven receptions for 45 yards … Caught two passes for 11 yards in Tech’s win over Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl … Had two receptions for 15 yards against Wofford in the season opener.
Georgia Tech 2013-14: Played in all 13 games at Georgia Tech and started 11 times … Had 10 receptions for 211 yards, helping Georgia Tech lead the nation in yards per pass completion … Had three receptions for 79 yards in season opener vs. Elon … Hauled in a 49-yard reception at BYU … Had three receptions for 24 yards and an 11-yard rushing attempt at Clemson.
Georgia Tech 2012-13: Redshirted at Georgia Tech.
MAJOR: Business Administration (graduated; GT); Higher Education (Master's; GS)