Projecting Virginia Tech's Two-Deep Depth Chart

BLACKSBURG, VA — With Virginia Tech's season just three months away, a lot of people are wondering what this transfer-heavy roster is going to look like on the two-deep, but more importantly, on the field.

After taking on a grand total of 50 newcomers and losing 27 players to the portal, this two-deep will be almost entirely turned over from the 2026 season, with very few exceptions.

Here are my person two-deep projections, along with explanations:

QB:
1. Ethan Grunkemeyer
2. Bryce Baker

While the starting job is open, it doesn't seem like much of a competition on who is going to win it. Grunkemeyer is the only quarterback on the roster who has a college start under his belt, and he looked very good for Penn State during the last few weeks of the season.

When it comes to the backup, it seems pretty clear-cut that Baker is the favorite, but that job could also go to Kelden Ryan, who is as inexperienced, but was a lower rated recruit coming out of high school — though both players were highly regarded prospects.

Baker is a Danny O'Brian target, which is the reason that I opted to give Baker the position.

RB:
1. Marcellous Hawkins
2. Jeffery Overton Jr.

This one is also relatively straightforward. Both Overton and Hawkins were very productive for the Hokies in 2025, while Tyler Mason has only 13 career carries, Bill Davis has never played Power 4 football and Messiah Mickens is a true freshman. I do expect that at least two of those three will see a good amount of reps behind the first two, though.

Boundary WR:
1. Ayden Greene
2. Keylen Adams
3. Chanz Wiggins
4. Snook Peterkin

Worth noting that with two boundary receiver slots, I opted to list them all in order to avoid confusion.

Ayden Greene is the clear-cut favorite as the most experienced boundary reciever, tallying 906 career yards and six touchdowns. Beyond that, it's a tossup for the other three spots between these three. Adams and Chanz were both injured last season and did not see the field, while Snook Peterkin is coming off of his true freshman season where he caught just two passes for 62 yards and a touchdown.

All three of them have no more than a true-freshman's level of experience, so that will be an interesting battle. Marlion Jackson is also in the mix, the transfer from Louisiana Tech caught 48 passes for 753 yards and three touchdowns over his three-year career with the Bulldogs. He was playing in a poor quarterback situation, so it'll be interesting to see how he factors in.

Slot WR:
1. Que'Sean Brown
2. Takye Heath

This one seems rather straightforward. A pair of 5-foot-9 or shorter receivers who both have multiple years of ACC experience. Brown caught 105 passes for 1,291 yards and seven touchdowns in two seasons for Duke, while Takye Heath had 200 yards for three touchdowns last season, though in a worse quarterback situation. Brown was one of the Hokies' marquee gets in the 2026 transfer portal.

TE:
1. Luke Reynolds - OR - Benji Gosnell
2. Ja'Ricous Hairston

This is effectively a three-deep spot on the roster due to how the Hokies will likely run their 2026 offense, and they have three very talented and experienced tight ends on the roster. Those three have combined for 1.044 yards and seven touchdowns.

Who plays what role is more up in the air, but more information about that should come out as the season inches closer and closer.

LT:
1. Logan Howland
2. Aidan Lynch

Last season, Aiden Lynch played 683 snaps over 11 games at tackle for the Hokies. Despite grading out poorly per PFF, that's good experience for a young offensive tackle, and you'd typically expect him to start. The difference maker is that the Hokies landed a top tier offensive tackle from the SEC in Logan Howland, who graded out very well last season when he was able to stay healthy.

LG:
1. Layth Ghannam
2. Brody Meadows

Arugablly the team's deepest spot on the offensive line, Brody Meadows missed the entirety of the 2025 season with an injury and is poised to return to the interior of Virginia Tech's offensive line. In 2024, Meadows posted some strong PFF grades, including a 72.1 pass blocking grade while playing 260 snaps for the Hokies. But Layth Ghannam saw a lot of time there last year, logging nearly 600 snaps under the Matt Moore scheme, so he likely has the leg up.

C:
1. Kyle Altuner
2. Tommy Richard

This one seems relatively straightforward. Both of these two have experience at center, and the Hokies likely won't deviate from what has worked without a major reason.

RG:
1. Montavious Cunningham
2. Gavin Crawford

Returning as a true freshman who was thrown into the first last year, Gavin Crawford fits in well as a backup option to two-year rotational piece Montavious Cunningham, and it looks like he's the one who will have the starting role in 2026.

RT:
1. Justin Terry
2. Johnny Garrett

Justin Terry found himself in the two-deep for Ohio State last season, where he graded out phenomenally as a pass blocker. Johnny Garrett has more experience at the spot, but I think Justin Terry is the clear choice as the starter.

DE:
1. Jason Abbey
2. Javion Hilson

Another one of the deeper, but more inexperienced groups for the Hokies. Jason Abbey is by far the most experienced edge rusher on the roster, with Javion Hilson being one of, if not the highest upside player on the roster as a former top 100 prospect.

DT:
1. Kamari Copeland
2. Elhadj Fall
3. Emmett Laws
4. Andrew Hanchuk - OR - TRon Richardson

Another group that seperates into the left and right defensive tackles. I'm grouping them together to avoid confusion.

The Hokies have a very talented group on the inside of the defensive line, with a career 14.5 sacks 21.5 TFL, with both Hanchuk and Richardson not seeing game action in their careers (Hanchuk is a double redshirt freshman, Richardson is a true freshman).

DE:
1. Aycen Stevens
2. Mylachi Williams

Aycen Stevens is the next most experienced on the defensive line after playing in all 12 games last season. The coaching staff is high on him. Mylachi Williams is another guy who has gotten high praise in winter camp and spring practice. Cortez Harris is another guy who saw some light playing time over the last few weeks of the season in his true freshman season at Penn State, so he could factor in.

Will Linebacker:
1. Noah Chambers
2. Gabe Williams

Noah Chambers is coming off of a strong year, where he recorded 44 tackles as a true freshman, starting six games. He is going to find himself in the starting lineup for the Hokies. As for Gabe Williams, he missed the entire 2026 season with an injury, but I expect him to slot back into the two-deep after finding playing time late in his true freshman season.

Mike Linebacker:
1. Kaleb Spencer
2. Keon Wylie

Kaleb Spencer started in five and played all 12 games for Virginia Tech last season, leading the team in tackles and TFL. He's logged over 500 snaps at Virginia Tech, making him the most experienced at the mike linebacker position. Keon Wylie will likely also find a lot of playing time across a few roles for the Hokies. I'll get more into that shortly.

Star Linebacker:
1. Curtis Jones Jr.
2. Keon Wylie

With 23 career games under his belt, Curtis Jones Jr. found himself on the field a lot at West Virginia — on both sides of the ball. With his raw athletic ability, I think he fits very well into the star linebacker position.

With Wylie, I don't think he's a star linebacker, but I instead have him taking over the spot when the Hokies have a third true linebacker.

Boundary Cornerback:
1. Isaiah Brown-Murray
2. Jaquez White
3. Joshua Clarke
4. Jahmari DeLoatch

Another position that carries two roles for the same position. Listing all four to avoid confusion.

IBM had a strong season for the Hokies as the CB1 last year, I don't think anybody will surpass him. Jaquez White was a top-level transfer from Troy, breaking up 10 passes and playing nearly 750 snaps for the Trojans last season. He's the clear favorite for CB2.

Joshua Clarke was injured last season, but was poised for a breakout year in a key role for the Hokies in 2025. As he returns healthy, I expect him to earn back that key role and land the CB3 position.

Jahmari DeLoatch was a former four-star prospect who held his own as a true freshman last season, I expect him to compete with Kenny Woseley Jr. and Jojo Crim for that fourth position.

Slot Cornerback:
1. Cam Chadwick
2. Thomas WIlliams

Chadwick played nearly 800 snaps on the outside for UConn last season, but I expect him to be more of a slot cornerback for the Hokies this season. I think he and Thomas Williams — who started 10 games for the Hokies in 2025 — will battle out for the starting position and split snaps in the slot, when the Hokies have a nickel package on the field.

Free Safety:
1. Quentin Reddish
2. Sheldon Robinson

After suffering an injury in 2026, Reddish is poised to return to the starting role that he earned as a true freshman in 2024, and carried into 2025. Sheldon Robinson had a strong true freshman season, but I think he will be moving to the free safety position for depth purposes.

Strong Safety:
1. Tyson Flowers
2. Jordan Bass

Tyson Flowers started all 12 games for the Hokies last season, tallying 49 tackles. Jordan Bass should provide good depth behind him as well.

Kicker:
1. John Love
2. Will Love

I don't think this needs much explaining, as the Hokies have one of the best returning kickers in the country starting and his brother right behind him.

Punter:
1. Nathan Totten
2. Cole Byrd

Nathan Totten transfers in from Marshall after an All-Sun Belt season. Redshirt Freshman Cole Byrd is the only other punter on the roster.

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