Underrated Virginia Tech Prospects Who Could Sneak Into the NFL Draft
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The 2026 Hokies class did not get a single Combine invite. No bright lights in Indianapolis, no national stage, no chance to run a 40 in front of every NFL scout in the country. Just a Pro Day in Blacksburg and a short window to impress. That is not a death sentence. Last year, Bhayshul Tuten and Jaylin Lane had no guaranteed draft slots heading into draft weekend and both went in the fourth round after strong Combine showings. This group did not get that stage, but for the five players below, what they showed in that one afternoon may be enough to get a phone call on Day 3.
1. Terion Stewart, RB
The stat line from 2025 (469 yards, 5.72 per carry) does not tell the full story. PFF's missed tackles forced per attempt metric removes offensive line quality from the equation entirely. By that measure, Stewart's 2023 season at Bowling Green ranked No. 1 in PFF College history, posting a 0.616 average. For reference, Ashton Jeanty, the sixth overall pick in the 2025 draft, led the FBS at 0.41 the year he went top-10. Stewart is a bully between the tackles who forces more missed tackles than almost anyone to ever play college football. Any team that needs running back depth on Day 3 should be making that call.
2. Tomas Rimac, OG
According to PFF, Rimac played 937 total snaps at left guard in 2024 and finished with a 77.1 overall grade, including an 86.3 run-blocking grade. That kind of production earned him recognition as one of the top returning interior linemen in the country before he ever set foot in Blacksburg. The 6-foot-6, 317-pound Brunswick, Ohio native spent four years at West Virginia before transferring to Virginia Tech, following offensive line coach Matt Moore, who has a track record of developing NFL-caliber linemen. Rimac has the ideal size for any position along the line and his hard-nosed play style in the trenches projects him as a guard at the next level.
3. Kelvin Gilliam Jr., DT
Gilliam served as a full-time starter at defensive tackle in 2025 and was a team captain, carrying the lunch pail out with him in every game after Brent Pry was relieved of his duties. He profiles as a textbook three-technique, specializing in pressuring the quarterback and disrupting plays up the middle, and his quickness off the line fits the weak-side tackle role. At Pro Day, he logged a 9-foot-9 broad jump and 34 reps on the bench press, drawing interest from the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals, including a breakfast meeting with the 49ers the morning of the workout.
4. Ben Bell, DE
Bell set the single-season sack record at Texas State in 2023 with 10. He suffered an injury-shortened 2024 season with the Bobcats before transferring to Virginia Tech, looking for a bounce-back. The numbers may not jump off the page, but scouts who watched him say the film reads differently. He has a relentless motor rushing the passer and produced some of the best bursts off the line in the Hokies' locker room. The one knock is size. At 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, Bell is significantly undersized compared to NFL-level pass rushers, and tackles with long reach could neutralize him early in reps. Teams running wide-nine schemes or hunting for rotational pass rush depth have a reason to take a late-round flier.
5. Jaden Keller, LB
Keller is not the hybrid coverage linebacker that teams prioritize early in the draft, but he led Virginia Tech in tackles in 2024 and held his own in an increasingly rotational role in 2025 under defensive coordinator Sam Seifkes. He has moved between multiple positions in the box and projects best as a run-stopping outside linebacker, with a knack for diagnosing plays and getting to his spots against the run. Every 53-man roster needs a thumper who can play special teams and keep a defense honest against the run. Keller fits that role.
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James Duncan is a senior at Virginia Tech studying Sports Media and Analytics. He is an active member of 3304 Sports, covering Virginia Tech sports, as well as a reporter for The Lead covering the Washington Commanders. James is passionate about delivering detailed, accurate coverage and helping readers connect with the games they love.