Five Virginia Tech Position Rooms, Breakout Candidates to Watch

Virginia Tech football is officially entering the final stretch before its 2026 season opener against VMI, and after nearly a month of fall camp, there is finally a little more clarity surrounding James Franklin’s first roster in Blacksburg.

Not every position battle has been completely settled, and Virginia Tech still has plenty that it will need to prove once the games actually begin. However, several players and position groups have seemingly separated themselves throughout August, whether that means establishing a clearer pecking order or simply putting themselves in position to play a considerably larger role than initially expected.

Here are five position rooms and individual breakout candidates I’ll be watching closely once Virginia Tech kicks off the 2026 season.

No. 1: Davion “FatRat” Brown

Virginia Tech entered fall camp without much clarity surrounding its third wide receiver spot behind Ayden Greene and Que’Sean Brown, and while Marlion Jackson seems to have the biggest advantage to being WR3, Davion “FatRat” Brown has arguably been the biggest riser in that room.

Brown was the fourth wide receiver through uncontested catch drills during Virginia Tech’s final media-open practice Aug. 25, following Greene, Que’Sean Brown and Jackson. More importantly, Franklin singled the redshirt freshman out afterward, praising both his development physically and the consistency he has shown throughout camp.

Brown has added around 15 pounds since arriving at Virginia Tech per Franklin, something that could make his already-impressive speed considerably more useful against the ACC's defensive backs. Franklin called Brown and freshman cornerback Zaevion Cleveland two of the fastest players on the roster while also noting that Brown has caught the ball well. Regardless of which players are ahead of "FatRat" in the order, I think he's put himself in a strong position to earn a spot in Virginia Tech’s two-deep at wide receiver.

No. 2: Running Backs

The top of Virginia Tech’s running back depth chart appears relatively straightforward. Marcellous Hawkins has consistently worked first throughout fall camp, while Jeffrey Overton Jr. has seemingly established himself as the second option behind him.

What happens after those two is considerably more interesting.

Louisiana transfer Bill Davis missing time has opened the door for Messiah Mickens and Tyler Mason to compete for the No. 3 job, and Franklin described that battle as one that could ultimately be decided by special teams. He also singled Mason out as one of Virginia Tech’s most improved players since the spring.

If Hawkins and Overton remain the 1-2 combination while Mason, Mickens or eventually Davis — the reasoning of what's forcing his absence is unknown, as is the timeline of a potential injury — provides another trustworthy option, this could quietly develop into one of the offense’s deeper rooms.

No. 3: Kelden Ryan

It still feels like Penn State transfer Ethan Grunkemeyer will eventually win Virginia Tech’s starting quarterback job. Grunkemeyer has consistently led off drills during the media portions of practice, and he is the only quarterback in the room with any collegiate game experience after starting seven games at Penn State in 2025.

That doesn’t mean Kelden Ryan’s development should be ignored.

When Franklin was asked Aug. 25 which players had caught his eye throughout camp, he initially pointed toward the quarterback room as a whole before specifically mentioning Ryan. The redshirt freshman is the lone returning quarterback from Virginia Tech’s 2025 room, and Franklin said Ryan had improved as much as nearly anyone in the program.

Quarterback development isn’t exclusively about what happens on Saturdays, and Ryan’s progression may be more of an under-the-radar breakout than one Virginia Tech fans actually get to see in 2026. I don’t expect Ryan to see the field much, if at all, this season, but his development behind the scenes could put him in a better position to compete for a larger role down the road.

No. 4: Defensive Line

If Virginia Tech’s defense takes a significant step forward in 2026, I think there’s a pretty good chance the defensive line is the reason why.

Kemari Copeland gives the Hokies a true centerpiece after earning Third Team All-ACC honors last season, when he recorded 48 tackles (7.5 tackles for loss) and 4.5 sacks. Elhadj Fall also returns after recording 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, while Virginia Tech supplemented the room with additional experience and young talent during the offseason.

The biggest unknown remains defensive end, although former five-star prospect Javion Hilson provides perhaps the most interesting upside of anyone competing there. Hilson transferred from Missouri this offseason and exits camp firmly in the conversation for a starting role in my eyes. There are still questions surrounding Virginia Tech’s defense, but this feels like the position group most capable of turning into a legitimate strength on the defense.

No. 5: Tyler Mason

The redshirt sophomore has capitalized on Davis’ absence and pushed himself directly into the competition with Mickens for Virginia Tech’s third running back spot. Franklin’s comments regarding Mason’s improvement since spring ball were particularly noteworthy considering just how much roster turnover occurred during the offseason. Over 50 newcomers are on this year's roster.

The third running back isn’t always going to receive many offensive snaps, especially with Hawkins and Overton ahead of him. But special teams gives Mason another avenue onto the field, and if his developmental jump carries into September, his role could continue growing as the season progresses.

Virginia Tech’s roster is still largely unproven entering Franklin’s first season, but that also leaves plenty of room for unexpected contributors to emerge. These next few weeks should provide the first real indication of which players are ready to turn August buzz into production.

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