The Three Most Likely Hokies To Declare Early for 2027 NFL Draft

The Hokies are highly unlikely to advance any prospects early into the 2027 draft, but if they did, here's who I'd have as my top three.

Virginia Tech Athletics

Virginia Tech football's list of players that have outright left the program early to the NFL is small. Still, with the offseason raging onward, here are my top three picks for those who could make the jump — though I think it's unlikely any of them do.

Que'Sean Brown (Redshirt Junior)

Brown shined as a redshirt sophomore at Duke. The undersized 5-foot-8, 170-pound wideout started 12 of the 14 games the Blue Devils played in, logging 846 receiving yards and five touchdowns for the Blue Devils, who won the ACC Championship.

Moreover, Brown is dangerous in the punt return game. In 2024 as a redshirt freshman, he amassed 233 yards on 24 punts and was named Honorable Mention All-ACC, having ranked No. 17 in punt return yardage.

While Brown’s smaller frame could present challenges against bigger, more physical competition at higher levels, his speed remains a clear asset. That burst allows him to create separation, and if leveraged properly, that quickness can help offset physical disadvantages and keep him effective as the level of competition rises in the pros.

Ethan Grunkemeyer (Redshirt Sophomore)

I think Grunkemeyer has a path to sneaking into the late rounds in 2027 if he puts together a strong redshirt sophomore season, but that draft range doesn’t offer much of a runway. Late-round quarterbacks are usually pegged as developmental depth and don’t see the field for years unless something goes wrong ahead of them. Even in the middle rounds, that label can be hard to shake early on.

That’s what makes his efficiency worth noting. Completing 69.1 percent of his passes in 2025 should at least put him on the radar as someone who can operate an offense and limit mistakes.

Because of that, it feels more likely he sticks around longer. Another year, or even two, would give him time to add to the résumé, handle a larger workload and show more situational command

Luke Reynolds (Junior)

If there’s anyone on this roster with a real shot to climb into the early-round conversation, it’s Reynolds. However, right now, it’s still more about what he could be than what's on the stat sheet.

At Penn State in 2025, Reynolds finished with 26 receptions for 257 yards and no touchdowns across 13 games, averaging 19.8 yards per game.

He had 170 of those 257 yards against non-conference opponents (42.5 yards per game)s, but just 87 yards in conference play, and only 30 total yards in games against ranked teams (four games, 7.5 YPR average).

That’s the gap he has to close.

I do believe that the path could be there if he turns into a true focal point and stacks consistent production against real competition. He is a potential mid-round talent, but I think any consideration of that waits for the 2028 season when he's a senior.