2025 NFL Draft: Best Day Two Fits for Remaining Virginia Tech Players
Virginia Tech remains unrepresented in the 2025 NFL Draft. Day two is expected to change that.
The Hokies have praise from leading analysts. NFL draft guru ranked Bhayshul Tuten and Jaylin Lane in the back half of his top 150 players. CBS's Mike Renner had Dorian Strong and Aeneas Peebles join Tuten and Lane in his list.
Safe to say that some Hokies will find new flocks today. The question remains where they'd best fit. Here are the best landing spots for the projected day two Hokies.
Lone Star Tuten
The biggest possible landing spot period. Dallas is all about glitz and glamour. Tuten's game is just that.
Tuten was among the first players to attend one of the Cowboys' top-30 visits. Tuten received interest from Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Washington in the pre-draft process. His blistering 4.32 40-yard dash has skyrocketed him up the ranks. His talent pairs him alongside the likes of Cam Skattebo and Dylan Sampson as one of the best runners available.
Let’s revisit this list. Some more conversations this morning and a little more clarity after talking to some teams and agents. These are names #Cowboys kicking around. But character issues for Pierce means not a Day 1. Cowboys need an offensive lineman but sounds like they want…
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) April 23, 2025
Dallas has a wide-open running back room. They have been tied to potentially moving up at the back end of the 2nd to land Tuten. Dallas could also look to pair Tuten with a stockier back. They're looking for consistency with the ball in his hand, something that scouts have pointed out as a problem. Cleaning up the fumbles will be priority number one. Everything else you want from a three-down back, he's already got down.
There is no question that Dallas is the best spot for any running back available to land. The real hurdle for some of these guys, Tuten especially, is does Jerry Jones like you enough to move up?
Packers Strengthen Their Secondary
"Wait, don't they have Jaire Alexander?"
There are two very important factors in this listing. Alexander is one of the top corners in the league when he's on the field. The Packers' players have expressed their love for the All-Pro. Their front office has remained oddly silent regarding the plethora of rumors surrounding him. Even if Alexander stays, the talent opposite to him is lackluster. Their only addition this offseason was Nate Hobbs, who projects to be their nickel, not a boundary guy.
Strong is a smart corner with some of the best zone coverage skills in the draft. His agility testing during his pro day would've ranked him among the top corners at the combine. He was consistently one of the top corners in the ACC and was not thrown at much in 2024 because of this.
Strong would be a plug-and-play corner for a team that continues to compete in one of the hardest divisions in the league. He would rarely be thrown on an island, leaving him some room to develop to the league's pace. The Packers would be an ideal fit for Strong to make an impact sooner rather than later.
Viva Las Lane
Las Vegas got their big splash in round one selecting Ashton Jeanty.
While Jeanty provides enough spark for the Raiders to focus on the trenches, the speed Jaylin Lane could bring them has to be enticing. Newly minted quarterback Geno Smith succeeded in Seattle, having a reliable weapon in the slot. The Raiders' receiving core would be perfect for Lane to slide into.
He can move in and out of the slot, serving as a deep-threat when Jakobi Meyers is working the middle of the field. Brock Bowers is one of the best tight ends in the league already. The attention he attracts from defenses opens up gaps in the field for Lane to fill in. At the worst, he can get his reps as a returner and slowly work his way up the depth chart.
Lane has been a steady riser late in this pre-draft process. The Raiders could take their shot at 68 or move back into the third and grab their guy. Either way, Lane would be the perfect receiver for Las Vegas to add.
Peebles Rocks the ATL
Atlanta is going all in on their defensive line. The Falcons traded up into the back end of the first round to double dip at edge. Adding Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. provides them with one of the most athletic duos in the NFC. Losing Grady Jarrett, however, leaves a hole on the interior of that line.
Insert, Aeneas Peebles. Atlanta's only day two pick is at 101. Peebles can easily fall into this range and give the Falcons a perfect complement to the speed they've drafted. Peebles has been viewed as undersized, but that hasn't held back great talent in the past. He's a swift athlete for someone of his stature and was an active voice in the Hokies' locker room. He's put together a hefty resume as one of the best interior pass-rushers in this year's class.
Aeneas Peebles did it again https://t.co/LpSAR8PG12 pic.twitter.com/Hula8LWy1e
— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) February 1, 2025
The Falcons want to get to the quarterback and change their culture defensively. Peebles, alongside Walker and Pearce Jr., is a fast pass to doing that. You can judge the package they gave up on, to go back to the first. Arthur Blank and Raheem Morris have a clear image, and Peebles would fit perfectly into their pass rush mosaic.
Related Links
2025 NFL Draft: Six Hokies Represent the Best Players Available For Day Two
Virginia Tech Football: No Hokies Drafted In The First Round For Four Years Running
Brett Holmes has been covering the Hokies as a Sports Media & Analytics student at the school for the past two years. Alongside writing, he works behind the scenes as a production assistant for Virginia Tech's athletic production organization Hokie Vision. In his free time, he produces his own podcast, Holmes Field Advantage, on his YouTube. You can find him on X @_BrettHolmes
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