Five True Freshmen Pushing Their Way up the Depth Chart For Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech's 2026 spring practice has looked different from the start. New head coach James Franklin brought 18 early enrollees from a No. 24-ranked recruiting class to campus in January, and his mandate has been simple from day one: compete for everything. With the spring game set for April 18 at Lane Stadium, here are five true freshmen who have already started climbing the depth chart before they've played a single college snap.

1. Troy Huhn, QB

No freshman on this roster has generated more buzz this spring than Huhn. Franklin called his recent non-contact scrimmage performance "unbelievable," pointing to four touchdown passes and a level of poise that you don't usually see from a guy who just arrived on campus. He came to Blacksburg as a productive, efficient passer out of Mission Hills High School in Carlsbad, California, and he has looked the part since day one. To be clear, starting in 2026 was never the expectation. Penn State transfer Ethan Grunkemeyer is the heavy favorite for that job, and rightfully so. But Huhn is doing exactly what a program-builder wants to see from a freshman quarterback: competing hard, absorbing the offense, and making the guys ahead of him earn it every single day. That kind of spring puts him in a strong position to contend for the starting job sooner than anyone expected.

2. Davion "FatRat" Brown, WR

The opportunity at wide receiver is hard to overstate. Across the entire 2025 season, Virginia Tech receivers hauled in just three receptions of 40-plus yards. Franklin has made clear the room beyond senior Ayden Greene is in an "earn-it" phase, and that's an open invitation for a talented freshman. Brown, a four-star recruit out of Richmond, arrives as part of the first recruiting class in program history to feature a four-star at each of QB, RB, WR, and TE. The Virginia kid with the unforgettable nickname has the profile to be an early contributor in a pass game that desperately needs a spark. Though Brown is not an early enrollee, he still stands in position to emerge in a crammed wide receiver room where not many, if any, have created separation.

3. Mathieu Lamah, LB

Lamah is a local kid with a chip on his shoulder, a three-star out of Nokesville, Virginia, who chose the Hokies and enrolled early when the program was still finding its footing under a new staff. At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, he fits the mold that defensive coordinator Brent Pry wants at linebacker. Pry spent eight seasons as defensive coordinator at Penn State under James Franklin, building some of the best defenses in the country, and he knows exactly what he wants from the position. With Franklin championing a three-deep at every position, Lamah has a genuine path to early playing time in a room led by veterans Kaleb Spencer and Noah Chambers.

4. T-Ron Richardson, DL

Richardson is another Virginia kid who stuck with the Hokies through a coaching change and is now pushing for early reps in a defensive line room that has plenty of uncertainty ahead of 2026. At 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds, he has the frame to handle the physical jump to the college level, and with fellow true freshman Garrett Witherington sidelined this spring due to injury, Richardson is getting more looks than he might have otherwise expected. The Hopewell, Virginia, product gives the Hokies a massive body inside who can eat up space and put pressure on quarterbacks, exactly what defensive line coach Sean Spencer needs up front to make his scheme work.

5. Pierce Petersohn, TE

Petersohn is the wild card of this group and maybe the most intriguing. The 6-foot-5 tight end from Minnesota came to Blacksburg after doubling as a quarterback, basketball player, and track athlete in high school, bringing a blend of athleticism and body control that most freshmen at the position simply don't have. The Hokies' tight end room is unsettled heading into 2026, which means a physically gifted and versatile freshman has a real shot at carving out a role before September. Petersohn won't be asked to do everything right away, but his movement skills and football IQ make him one of the more compelling developmental players in Franklin's first class.