The Biggest Winners and Losers for Virginia Tech Post-Transfer Portal

A wealth of change brought good and bad news for some Hokies.

Nov 22, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer (17) throws a pass during a warm-up before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

This transfer portal class was an all-timer for the Hokies. Far and away their strongest class in program history, James Franklin followed up the school's strongest recruiting class in recent memory with the arrival of some big names.

247Sports ranked Virginia Tech 19th in the nation on their transfer rankings, while On3 valued the class much higher at sixth based on the value of talent leaving and entering. The wave of talent brought in under Brent Pry built an unfortunate trend of feeding talent to bigger programs. Players like Mansoor Delane, Braelin Moore, and Xavier Chaplin highlighted the wave of Hokies lost to SEC teams last offseason. This year was a complete 180.

Franklin has turned the roster from one of the weakest in the ACC into a potential contender. While the overall outlook is positive, there are some Hokies who may have a grimmer outlook next season with the recent additions. Here are the biggest winners and losers following the Hokies' 2026 transfer portal class.

Winner - Ethan Grunkemeyer

The arrival of Grunkemeyer on the collegiate scene was overshadowed by the firing of his head coach. He had to bear the task of saving face for the Nittany Lions on top of filling the shoes of the quarterback who was one drive away from a National Championship berth in Drew Allar. Safe to say he handled that adversity well.

It took time for Grunkemeyer to warm up to the collegiate game. Two straight losses to open his career as a starter against Iowa and Ohio State weren't ideal. However, his first big statement was against the National Champions. Grunkemeyer did everything in his power to will Penn State to an upset against Indiana. A catch of the year candidate from Omar Cooper spoiled that attempt, but it didn't take away from the upside Grunke flashed.

23 for 34 for 262 and 2 touchdown passes.

Ethan Grunkemeyer YOU are QB1 pic.twitter.com/bCmQsMRIxp

— The Basic Blues Podcast (@BasicBluesPod) December 28, 2025

From that game, it was nothing but good showing from the young quarterback. He went undefeated after their loss to the Hoosiers, throwing for 777 yards, six touchdowns, zero interceptions, and an average passer rating of 192.9 over that span. He was one of the hottest passers in the country to end the year, and he's going into a system that is all in on him. He has a strong running back room to fall back on, an improved receiving corps, and an elite tight end room. Further reinforcements to the offensive line have this squad primed for Grunkemeyer to take over with success.

Losers - In-House Receiving Talent

The first thing Franklin emphasized in terms of roster development was retaining the guys that were already in Blacksburg. He did a good job holding onto the top names on both sides of the ball. Some standouts, however, will have a troubling time making an impact in 2026.

The most obvious player at a disadvantage is Benji Gosnell. The brother of Hokie alum and Bills' receiver Stephen Gosnell, Benji has spent his entire career in Blacksburg. He flashed breakout potential as a receiver in 2024 as Kyron Drones's safety valve. 2025 was a dip in production everywhere on offense. Combine his drastic drop in usage with the acquisition of Luke Reynolds, and the upside of Gosnell in 2026 looks bleak with the depth the Hokies have at tight end.

Kyron Drones to Takye Heath. Hokies retake lead in OT. pic.twitter.com/MB8O31mIYr

— Kolby Crawford (@kolby_crawford) October 25, 2025

One player who saw increased usage in 2026 has competition that could trouble his ability to get on the field. Takye Heath was the main receiver out of the slot for the Hokies. He finished third on the team in yards and tied for the lead in receiving touchdowns with three. Que'Sean Brown's arrival not only clouds Heath's role in the offense, but it could completely faze him out of his former role. Brown was one of the best slot receivers in the country last year. He and Heath have similar player profiles, but Brown has put together better production and technical proficiency on tape. Heath doesn't have the size to hold his own on the outside. That role will likely be filled by Marlion Jackson or Keylen Adams. Heath will have one of the most important offseasons ahead of him to build off of his 2025 production.

Winner - Brent Pry

No, Pry isn't a winner just because he's back in Blacksburg. This isn't even about who was brought in. The guys he's spent the last couple of years recruiting to Virginia Tech and developing were all considering finding a new home in September because he was exiting the program. His return not only gave Franklin a play caller he could rely on defensively, but it also provided the program with the strongest possible pull to retain talent.

Nov 9, 2024; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Brent Pry leads his team onto the field with Virginia Tech Hokies wide receiver Takye Heath (2) before the game at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Kemari Copeland was a priority based solely on his talent. The front seven was the stronger part of the unit under Sam Siefkes, with Copeland at its heart. Bringing him back establishes a down-to-down threat in the run and pass game. Kaleb Spencer will step up as the lead linebacker with Caleb Woodson departing for Alabama. Noah Spencer and Gabe Williams have shown big-play potential in very little time.

Bringing back Isaiah Brown-Murray and pairing him up with Jaquez White and Cam Chadwick brings some much-needed experience to mix in with a young secondary. All of these moves enable Pry to seamlessly transition as the defensive coordinator. There will be challenges, given it's been over four years since he's been in this position. Few newly-hired defensive coordinators have this level of familiarity with their roster. It's rarer for that roster to align with that coordinator's defensive ideology. Pry might not hit the same strides seen in the back end of his Happy Valley tenure, but there should be a return to form for the Hokies' defense in 2026 sooner than later.