Ethan Grunkemeyer Earns High Placement In Latest ACC Quarterback Rankings
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CBS Sports released its preseason rankings of ACC starting quarterbacks this week, placing Virginia Tech's Ethan Grunkemeyer in the middle of the conference pack as the Hokies prepare for the 2026 season.
Here is the full list:
- Darian Mensah — Miami
- CJ Bailey — NC State
- Kevin Jennings — SMU
- Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele — Cal
- Mason Heintschel — Pitt
- Ethan Grunkemeyer — Virginia Tech
- Steve Angeli — Syracuse
- Lincoln Kienholz — Louisville
- Christopher Vizzina — Clemson
- Beau Pribula — Virginia
- Gio Lopez — Wake Forest
- Ashton Daniels — Florida State
- Walker Eget — Duke
- Billy Edwards Jr. — North Carolina
- Alberto Mendoza — Georgia Tech
- Mason McKenzie — Boston College
- Davis Warren — Stanford
Grunkemeyer was ranked No. 6 among ACC quarterbacks in the list compiled by CBS Sports writer Austin Nivison. The ranking comes as the former Penn State quarterback enters his first season as Virginia Tech's projected starter.
Despite the modest placement, Grunkemeyer arrives in Blacksburg with significant expectations after a promising stretch late in the 2025 season with the Nittany Lions.
Late-season surge at Penn State
Grunkemeyer originally emerged as Penn State's starter after veteran quarterback Drew Allar suffered a season-ending broken left ankle injury in October. The redshirt freshman stepped into the lineup and helped stabilize the offense during a turbulent stretch.
Over seven starts, the Ohio native completed over 69 percent of his passes for 1,339 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions, guiding the Nittany Lions to a 4-3 record during that span.
He also finished the year strong, leading Penn State to four consecutive wins to close the season while throwing six touchdowns without throwing an interception during that stretch.
Opportunity to rise in the ACC
Despite landing at No. 6 in the rankings, Grunkemeyer enters the 2026 season with a realistic chance to climb the conference quarterback hierarchy.
CBS Sports ranked Darian Mensah as the top ACC quarterback after a standout season in which he threw for nearly 4,000 yards and 34 touchdowns while leading Duke to an ACC title before transferring to Miami. NC State's CJ Bailey and SMU's Kevin Jennings were also placed ahead of Grunkemeyer after multiple productive seasons as starters.
California's Jardon-Keawe Sagapolutele and Pitt's Mason Heintschel round out the top five after both showed significant promise early in their careers. Sagapolutele threw for more than 3,400 yards as a freshman, while Heintschel helped lead Pitt to a winning record in games he started.
Grunkemeyer, meanwhile, sits just behind that group entering his first season at Virginia Tech. After taking over as Penn State's starter last last season due to injury, the redshirt freshman showed flashes of potential that could translate well in the ACC.
If he builds on that late-season momentum and settles into the Hokies' offense quickly, Grunkemeyer could surpass several of the quarterbacks ranked ahead of him and establish miself amonf the conference's top signal callers by the end of the season.
James Duncan is a senior at Virginia Tech studying Sports Media and Analytics. He is an active member of 3304 Sports, covering Virginia Tech sports, as well as a reporter for The Lead covering the Washington Commanders. James is passionate about delivering detailed, accurate coverage and helping readers connect with the games they love.