Penn State Transfer QB Ethan Grunkemeyer Officially Commits to Virginia Tech

The Hokies finally have their starting signal-caller.

Dec 27, 2025; Bronx, N.Y.; Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer (17) warms up before the 2025 Pinstripe Bowl vs. Clemson. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

After almost two weeks of wait in the transfer portal, Virginia Tech football has their guy at quarterback. Penn State transfer signal-caller Ethan Grunkemeyer, a rising redshirt sophomore that started the final seven games of Pen State's season, has officially confirmed that he. CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz was the first to report the news; Grunkemeyer subsequently posted the confirmation of his commitment to his social media platforms.

Go Hokies! pic.twitter.com/E0UyTvkpK5

— Ethan Grunkemeyer (@e_grunkemeyer) January 14, 2026

Grunkemeyer will presumably be Virginia Tech's starting quarterback for the 2026 campaign and beyond as the Hokies retool for an intriguing 2026 under new head coach James Franklin.

Exiting high school, Grunkemeyer was a four-star prospect on 247Sports, rated as the No. 103 overall player in the Class of 2024, the 8th-highest ranked quarterback and the third-rated player in the state of Ohio. Entering the transfer portal this year, he was ranked as the No. 49 player in this year's portal cycle and the 12th-ranked quarterback. Grunkemeyer officially entered the transfer portal on New Year's Day; 13 days later, he's committed to Virginia Tech.

Grunkemeyer won his final four starts of the season after an 0-3 start as Penn State's QB1. Across the season, he threw for 1,339 passing yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions. In his final five games, Grunkemeyer threw seven touchdowns and just one interception. The then-redshirt freshman rounded off his stellar year with a 260-yard, two-touchdown performance against Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Grunkemeyer's commitment lifts Virginia Tech to five signal-callers on its roster: Grunkemeyer, Bryce Baker, A.J. Brand, Kelden Ryan and Troy Huhn. Grunkemeyer is the only non-freshman in the signal-calling corps; Baker, Brand and Ryan are redshirt freshmen, while Huhn is an incoming three-star true freshman.

The quarterbacks room, as a whole, will be revamped heading into the 2026 campaign. Pop Watson and Garret Rangel entered the transfer portal, with Watson committing to UMass. Existing starter Kyron Drones exhausted his eligibility, while Brand and Ryan did not se any game action for Virginia Tech. Grunkemeyer's addition represents a significant win for the Hokies' recruiting in the portal this cycle and is perhaps the most significant addition.

Grunkemeyer's age — as I previously mentioned, he'll be a redshirt sophomore in 2026 — makes him an ideal candidate for Virginia Tech, as he'll be able to play out the 2026, 2027 and 2028 campaigns for the Hokies. Grunkemeyer also possesses an accurate arm; his completion percentage of 69.1% in 2025 is higher than Virginia Tech's single-season completion percentage record (2020 Hendon Hooker, .653), or its career completion percentage record (2016 Jerod Evans, 63.5% - min. 200 snaps; 2014-2015 Michael Brewer, 59.1% - min. 500 snaps).