Ranking Virginia Tech's Three Most NFL-Ready Draft Prospects

Despite last year's 3-9 finish, there are several players who could get drafted in the later rounds of this year's NFL Draft.

Nov 15, 2025; Tallahassee, Fla.; Virginia Tech running back Terion Stewart (8) celebrates a first down. | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech football stumbled to open and close its 2025 season, losing its first three contests and dropping six of its last seven to finish with a 3-9 overall record.

After the tumultuous season, several members of that year's team are now pursuing professional opportunities, either having exhausted their eligibility or opting to move to the draft instead of staying in college.

Here's a look at the three I think are the most draft-ready.

No. 3: Offensive Lineman Tomas Rimac

Rimac was at West Virginia for four seasons before coming to Virginia Tech as a redshirt senior.

In his redshirt junior year with the Mountaineers, Rimac produced a 78.1 overall grade, which sat No. 18 of 639 guards. This past season, Rimac's mark dipped to 59.3 overall, which sat at No. 422 of 672 eligible guards. In pass block, he graded out at a 69.7 (No. 305) and in run block, he graded out with a 53.9 (No. 442).

Rimac offers a solid-floor, low-ceiling-type of option for an offensive line, which could serve well as either an undrafted free agent (UDFA) pickup or as a late-round selection.

No. 2: Defensive Tackle Kelvin Gilliam Jr.

The 6-foot-3, 295-pound prospects, from Richmond, Virginia, played in 25 games for Virginia Tech across two seasons, combining for 69 tackles (18 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, five quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and a forced fumble.

Before that, Gilliam played as a reserve for three seasons at Oklahoma, recording 10 tackles over his three seasons with the Sooners.

Gilliam is an experienced option at the collegiate level that would be well-suited to a team in need of a solid-floor tackle.

At Pro Day, Gilliam logged a 9-foot-9 total on the broad jump and logged 34 reps on the bench press. According to Gilliam that day, several NFL teams had reached out to him, including the San Francisco 49ers, with whom he had breakfast that morning, and the Arizona Cardinals.

No. 1: Running Back Terion Stewart

Though Stewart dealt with injuries through the duration of the 2025 season — he missed two games and made two starts across the campaign — the back was a blur when at his best.

The 5-foot-9, 222-pound graduate student functioned as a bruiser-style back both with the Hokies and with Bowling Green. In his 2023 season, Stewart generated 0.616 missed tackles per touch, per Fantasy Points' Scott Barrett, the most of any back with at least 125 touches since at least 2014.

Top RB Seasons by Missed Tackles Forced per Touch
+ min. 125 touches, PFF College History (2014-2025)

1. Terion Stewart, 2023 (0.616) 🔥
2. Javonte Williams, 2020 (0.470)
3. Trey Benson, 2022 (0.458)
…
91. Carson Steele, 2022 (0.324)

Insane! The gap between Stewart’s 2023… pic.twitter.com/LQmY3fEC5Y

— Scott Barrett (@ScottBarrettDFB) April 9, 2026

In his lone year with the Hokies, Stewart totaled 469 yards on 82 hauls, good for 5.72 yards per carry. Against N.C. State on Sept. 27 in the Hokies' season opener, Stewart logged a career-high 175 rushing yards, the 17th-most rushing yards in a single game in Virginia Tech history.

In that same game, Stewart logged an 85-yard dash, which served as the fourth-longest rushing play in Virginia Tech program history, behind only Steven Peoples (87 yards, vs. ODU on Sept. 22, 2018), Kevin Jones (87 yards, vs. Temple on Nov. 10, 2001) and J.C. Coleman (86 yards, vs. Duke on Oct. 13, 2012).

Stewart profiles well as a short- to medium-style of back that can consistently rack up yardage, though his injuries could prove to be somewhat of a limiting factor with his draft stock.