Three Questions For Virginia Tech's Wide Receivers Room Ahead of Fall Camp

What are some of the unknowns for the Hokies' wideouts?

Virginia Tech Athletics

Just under seven weeks separate Virginia Tech football from the 2026 campaign — its first under new head coach James Franklin (128-60 record as head coach, 104-45 record in 11-plus years at Penn State). Here are three questions for the wide receivers room heading into fall camp and the Sept. 5 season opener against VMI.

No. 1: How much does Ethan Grunkemeyer starting at quarterback benefit Ayden Greene and Que'Sean Brown?

Greene and Brown were the two names spotlighted during Virginia Tech's spring media availabilities: Greene, who's a senior in the 2026 season, was spotlighted in February, while Brown was spotlighted later on. Both have experience in the ACC — Greene at Tech and Brown with Duke — while Grunkemeyer enters his first full year as the starter.

In 2025, Greene totaled 516 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns on 31 receptions. He totaled 71 yards (five catches) against South Carolina in the season opener, 72 yards against Georgia Tech and a season-high 95 yards against Miami. In the Duke's Mayo Bowl in the 2024 season, Greene totaled a current-career-high 115 receiving yards.

Brown, meanwhile, accumulated 846 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 64 catches for the Blue Devils last season. He tallied 108 yards against California in a 45-21 win, and in the Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl against Arizona State, he logged a career-high 178 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 10 catches.

Grunkemeyer finished with 1,339 passing yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions; this, however, will be his first year where he enters the season as the presumed starter. The Hokies should be improved under center by a significant margin. Last season, Virginia Tech starter Kyron Drones collected 1,919 passing yards and threw 17 touchdowns to nine interceptions.

No. 2: Who settles in as the third starter alongside Greene and Brown?

Greene and Brown have proven production, but behind them, the room feels unsettled. Greene was the lone Virginia Tech receiver to collect 300-plus yards; of the returning corps, Takye Heath headlines the rest after a 200-yard season in 2025.

Other options could be Tyseer Denmark (39 receiving yards) or Marlion Jackson (370 yards, two touchdowns at Louisiana Tech), though Virginia Tech may opt for more 12-personnel plays and negate the need for often using a third wide receiver.

No. 3: Do Chanz Wiggins and Keylen "Brodie" Adams carve out roles?

Both wideouts missed the 2025 season due to injuries and will be redshirt sophomores entering the 2025 campaign. Adams was ranked as a four-star wideout by ESPN and On3 when he committed to Tech; he logged 1,233 receiving yards during his senior year at Green Run High School (Virginia Beach, Va.); the same four-star label applied for Wiggins, who was named an All-BattleField District Team member twice at both wideout and defensive back. He logged 815 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on 47 catches en route to the 2023 VHSL Region 4B Championship.

Both delivering represents a significant win for the recruiting chops of Fontel Mines; the two were among his first batch of recruits to the Hokies program. Though the wideout room appears to be crowded with players looking for snaps, that still leaves ample opportunity for Wiggins and Adams to seize roles if they can prove themselves. That remains to be seen, however, as to whether they'll receive enough chances and if they can make the most of them.

Virginia Tech's 2026 season opens against the Keydets — it's their first matchup since 1984 — on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game is available for viewing on the ACC Network.