Three Potential Virginia Tech Players to Watch for a Transfer Ahead of 2026

With the early signing period underway, who are some existing Hokies that could be seeking a new home?

Virginia Tech Athletics

Virginia Tech football is now onto the offseason and with that, the perpetual period of speculation has now kicked off. Today, I'm going to look over three current Hokies who could be in line for a transfer.

On the rise📈 (about 102 spots, to be exact)#ThisIsHome | #NSD26 pic.twitter.com/U99N2ZhaML

— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) December 4, 2025

This article is not rooted in insider information or private conversations within the program. Instead, it draws on situational assessment, roster trends and potential fit concerns as Virginia Tech moves into the offseason. With the transfer portal set to reshape depth charts across college football once again, it’s worth examining a few players who could consider exploring opportunities elsewhere based on playing time, positional trajectory and long-term outlook.

This is not a prediction, nor is it meant to suggest that any of these players are planning to leave. Rather, it’s an evaluation of three Hokies whose circumstances might make a transfer a reasonable possibility depending on how the next few months unfold.

No. 3: Brody Meadows, Offensive Lineman

Meadows did not log a snap this year, missing the entirety of the 2025 campaign with a lower-body injury. Even before the setback, he projected as more of a second-unit lineman, and the roster movement around him only reinforces that outlook. Virginia Tech is bringing in seven offensive line commitments at the time of writing; Tomas Rimac is the lone mainstay set to graduate and new head whistle James Franklin is likely to be aggressive in the portal to stabilize the position group.

Given that landscape, Meadows likely remains in the second tier of that depth chart heading into 2026, making a transfer a logical option if he’s seeking a clearer path to playing time. That injury complicates his market, but if he does move on, the most realistic landing spots would be Group of Five programs looking for a reliable piece once he’s fully healthy.

No. 2: Jeremiah Coney, Running Back

With Messiah Mickens entering the backfield in 2025, Coney’s path to meaningful carries becomes even narrower. His clearest opportunity for increased reps likely hinges on whether current No. 1 back Marcellous Hawkins elects to pursue the NFL in this coming year's draft. If Hawkins returns, the depth chart remains crowded; if he departs, the staff likely leans towards a combination of No. 2 Jeff Overton Jr., transfer veterans and Mickens.

Coney has flashed potential in limited action, but unless the room thins out or he makes a significant climb during the offseason, the circumstances point toward another year of uphill competition. That dynamic brings up the question of whether staying in Blacksburg or seeking a clearer role elsewhere best serves his development and offers more of a route to substantial playing time.

No. 1: William "Pop" Watson III, Quarterback

Watson has operated as Virginia Tech’s second- or third-string quarterback for most of his career, and even with 2025 starter Kyron Drones exhausting his eligibility, there’s little indication he’ll take over the job in 2026. With James Franklin now at the helm, the expectation is that the new staff will tap the transfer portal for either a proven veteran or a high-ceiling arm to stabilize the position.

Watson has shown flashes of that upside. most notably in extended action against an overmatched Cavaliers secondary in 2024. However, he still exits 2025 with limited game experience and just two career starts. If the path to the starting job closes again, it wouldn’t be surprising if he evaluates his options elsewhere in search of a clearer route to playing time.