Stock Up, Stock Down: Three Rising, Falling Players for Virginia Tech Football Ahead of UVa Clash

Lead editor Thomas Hughes goes over three players whose stock he thinks is rising and three whose he thinks is falling.

Nov 22, 2025; Blacksburg, Va.; Miami defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald (13) tackles Virginia Tech wide receiver Isaiah Spencer (11) during the fourth quarter at Lane Stadium. | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech football has one game remaining on its 2025 slate: its rivalry matchup, the Commonwealth Clash, against No. 17 Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. ET. Ahead of the clash, here's six players to monitor: three whose stock I think is trending upward, and three who I think are trending the other way.

GAME 12: COMMONWEALTH CLASH- VIRGINIA TECH VS. UVA

📍: SCOTT STADIUM, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA

📺: 7 PM ET ON @espn #COMMONWEALTHCLASH pic.twitter.com/o7yDYNKLP4

— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) November 24, 2025

Rising:

No. 1: Jeffrey Overton Jr., Running Back

Off a solid outing against Florida State, where he hauled in a 36-yard pitch-and-catch reception, true freshman Overton managed to top it. In just his third collegiate appearance, the rookie tailback found the end zone for the first time, a meaningful milestone considering how long he waited to reach the field.

Overton logged seven carries for 69 yards, continuing to see his workload grow after missing the season’s first eight games. He spent that stretch rehabbing a torn ACL suffered during bowl prep before last year's Duke's Mayo Bowl against Minnesota. Now healthy, he’s beginning to show why the staff remained high on him throughout the recovery process, offering the Hokies a glimpse of what his role could become down the road.

No. 2: Ayden Greene, Wide Receiver

Despite not eclipsing the 30-yard mark until the fourth quarter, Greene made it count in the final frame. Greene hauled in two separate catches for 39 yards apiece from both Drones and Watson; on his other three catches, he accumulated 18 yards. While the majority of his day was a struggle, he came up big when it mattered in the fourth.

No. 3: William "Pop" Watson III, Quarterback

Watson didn’t see much action, but he made his limited snaps count. The freshman finished with just two completions, yet those two accounted for 77 yards. Most of the afternoon belonged to Kyron Drones, who handled the bulk of the work under center but managed only 124 passing yards. Explosive plays have been there in flashes, but sustained consistency through the air continues to be a challenge. Watson, at least on Saturday, produced more of the former.

Falling:

No. 1: Kyron Drones, Quarterback

Drones delivered his seventh straight outing under 200 passing yards and the air attack under him generally feels flat and stilted. While there have been flashes — most notably, his stellar night against Cal, where he rushed for 137 yards — the season, as a whole, has been a struggle. In that same contest, Drones only threw for 119 yards and since Oct. 11 against then-No. 13 Georgia Tech, he has not thrown for over 125 yards. Against a stiff Cavaliers secondary and a stout 'Hoos line, I don't expect that to change.

No. 2: Terion Stewart, Running Back

Since his breakout 174-yard showing against NC State, Stewart hasn’t operated as Virginia Tech’s primary option in the backfield. His touches have tapered off, and the offense has shifted toward a different distribution of carries. Marcellous Hawkins has taken over most of the early-down work, while Overton has carved out a growing role as a change-of-pace threat, especially as he’s settled in after returning from injury. Stewart is still one to watch on Saturday, but his role in the offense has dwindled since that explosive Week 5 output.

No. 3: Cameron Seldon, Wide Receiver

Seldon briefly appeared to be settling in as the Hokies’ primary slot option earlier in the year, especially after Takye Heath's early injuries and Donavon Greene’s departure opened up more snaps. But even with that vacancy, Seldon has been overtaken by Isaiah Spencer in the rotation. Seldon has not accumulated over 25 receiving yards in a contest since Week 5 against NC State.

Seldon’s role has narrowed in recent weeks. Against then-No. 14 Miami, he was targeted twice but didn’t record a catch, continuing a stretch where his involvement has been limited to sporadic snaps and mostly redzone looks.