Virginia Tech DL Arias Nash Intending to Enter Transfer Portal

Nash is the Hokies' eighth player on scholarship to exit since James Franklin took over as head coach.

Nov 21, 2020; Pittsburgh, Penn.; Helmets inside the Virginia Tech equipment trunk on the sidelines against Pitt. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech football has sustained its ninth loss of the winter transfer portal cycle, as defensive lineman Arias Nash plans to enter the portal. Listed at 6-foot, 278 pounds, Nash will end up departing Blacksburg with one year of eligibility remaining after spending time in the Hokies’ defensive front rotation. Nash saw limited action in 2025, logging only 10 snaps after transferring in as a high-upside defensive lineman with proven production at the FCS level.

BREAKING: Virginia Tech DL Arias Nash tells me he intends to enter the Transfer Portal.
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Nash is from Charlotte, NC. He is listed as a “hybrid” DL and has 1 year of eligibility remaining.
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Where should Arias go? 🤔⬇️ pic.twitter.com/b0nfAvKt9v

— Riley Alberts (@CfbRalb) December 30, 2025

Nash, listed as an "edge defender" on Pro Football Focus, graded out with a 48.3 overall defensive grade, last of the 12 edge defenders that logged snaps. Nash's run defense grade also was last of the 12; the next closest was Antwone Santiago with 55.5. In pass rush, Nash was ninth with a 57.5 tally, ahead of Santiago (57.0), Brett Clatterbaugh (56.7) and Aycen Stevens (52.6).

In 2025, Nash logged 10 snaps, with nine coming on the defensive line and one on the field goal block unit. Nash's 48.3 grade was the lowest of his four collegiate years; 2022 came in at 57.9, while 2023 came in at 68.6 (No. 43 of edge defenders, out of 889 players) and 2024 came in at 86.1 (No. 13 of edge defenders out of 894).

Nash previously played three years at Mercer, logging 71 tackles in 33 games with the FCS school. Nash also logged 24 solo tackles, 14 tackles for loss, nine sacks, one forced fumble, four pass breakups and four pass deflections during his three years in Macon.

Since head coach James Franklin's hiring on Nov. 17, Nash is the ninth player and the eighth on scholarship to announce his plans to enter the transfer portal, joining quarterback Garret Rangel, wide receiver Charlie O'Connor (walk-on), quarterback William "Pop" Watson III, wide receiver Cameron Seldon, tight end Zeke Wimbush, running backs Jeremiah Coney and Braydon Bennett and lastly, cornerback Caleb Brown.

Combining the numbers with the players who left the program in the midway portion of the 2025 campaign, the number now sits at 16: Rangel, O'Connor, Watson, Sedon, Wimbush, Coney, Bennett, Brown, Nash, cornerback Dante Lovett, wide receiver/punt returner Tucker Holloway, linebacker Michael Short, defensive lineman Keyshawn Burgos, safety Christian Ellis, defensive lineman James Djonkam and wide receiver Donavon Greene.

In the meantime, 249 days remain until Virginia Tech kicks off its 2026 campaign on Sept. 5, 2026, against in-state rival VMI.