Virginia Tech Hokies Post-Transfer Portal 2026 Review: Offensive Line

Virginia Tech's offensive line will have a new look in 2026.

Nov 29, 2025; Charlottesville, Va.; Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones (1) passes the ball under pressure from Virginia defensive end Mitchell Melton (17). | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech's offensive line has seen a retooling and reshuffling ahead of 2026. Just over seven months from the start of the 2026 campaign, here's a brief look at the returners, transfers and freshmen that will comprise this year's offensive line room.

Just getting warmed up….#LetsGoHokies pic.twitter.com/u5iqhlSoeN

— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) January 28, 2026

Returners:

Kyle Altuner profiles as the highest-rated returner, having graded out at a 58.5 in his first season with the Hokies. Tomas Rimac was the highest-rated offensive lineman to log more than four snaps with a 59.3 overall grade (788 snaps); however, his graduation means that Altuner steps in as the highest-graded offensive lineman from 2025 on this roster.

Altuner played all but eight snaps in the 2025 campaign and should provide an extremely solid floor for Virginia Tech. The redshirt sophomore should be the Hokies' immediate starter on Day 1 again.

Beyond him, six other returners slot in as likely factors in the two-deep: Layth Ghannam, Montavious Cunningham, Johnny Garrett, Gavin Crawford, Brody Meadows and Aidan Lynch. Ghannam, Cunningham and Garrett all factored into the starting rotation at points throughout the season, while Lynch was thrust into an increased role due to attrition in the opening stretch of the season. Crawford played at points, while Meadows missed the entirety of the season.

Transfers:

All the Hokies' acquisitions at offensive line via the high school ranks will presumably redshirt to gain a year of experience in the weight room. With that in mind, Virginia Tech brought in four transfers at the position: Michigan State's Justin Bell, Oklahoma's Logan Howland, Penn State's Michael Troutman III and Ohio State's Justin Terry.

I think that all four could play into the two-deep in the season; in my way-too-early depth chart projections, I placed Howland as the starter at left tackle, while putting Bell as the second-string left tackle, Troutman as the second-string center and Terry as a likely option on the third-string line. There's little film on Troutman or Bell, though. Both offensive linemen have the full four years of eligibility remaining after redshirting their true freshman years at their respective schools.

Freshmen:

The Hokies landed seven offensive linemen via the high school recruiting ranks: Marlen bright (6-foot-6, 280 pounds), Maddox Cochrane (6-foot-6, 280 pounds), Benjamin Eziuka (6-foot-3, 320 pounds), Roseby "Purgatory" Lubintus (6-foot-5, 350 pounds), Tyrell Simpson (6-foot-8, 365 pounds), Buddy Wegdam (6-foot-5, 275 pounds) and Thomas Wilder (6-foot-6, 295 pounds).

Five of the seven acquisitions — Bright, Cochrane, Lubintus, Simpson and Wegdam — are consensus three-stars across 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals/On3. Eziuka is rated as a four-star on ESPN, while being assessed a three-star rating on 247Sports and Rivals.

Wilder is the only consensus four-star offensive lineman in the Hokies' 2026 high-school haul. Wilder initially decommitted from the Hokies following the firing of Brent Pry on Sept. 14, but eventually recommitted after Franklin was brought into the fold.

Virginia Tech's 2026 season begins on Sept. 5, vs. VMI in the two schools' first meeting since 1984. In the meantime, the Hokies' spring game will take place on April 18, with admission being free of charge to fans.