Virginia Tech's Post-Spring Game 2026 Depth Chart Prediction: Defense

How does lead editor Thomas Hughes project the defensive two-deep at this point?

Virginia Tech Athletics

Virginia Tech football's annual spring game took place yesterday, resulting in a 30-21 victory for the White Team. Spring games rarely reveal much about how a season will actually play out, but I’ll take a shot at projecting what the Week 1 depth chart could look like against VMI on Sept. 5. Below is my projected defensive two-deep.

Spring Ball: Wrapped 🎁#VTSpringGame | #LetsGoHokies pic.twitter.com/t2NyZkv4zE

— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) April 18, 2026

Defensive Line

• Starters: Javion Hilson, Kemari Copeland, Elhadj Fall, Aycen Stevens
• Backups: Mylachi Williams, Eric Mensah, Randy Adirika, Jason Abbey

Thoughts: Kamauryn Morgan’s abrupt departure is still a notable blow to the unit’s overall depth. Hilson has impressed early as a redshirt freshman, while Williams and Mensah have already produced in limited opportunities, combining for a sack and 1.5 sacks, respectively, in the spring game.

Stevens earned the Lunch Pail earlier in camp, and the redshirt junior should have an early edge given his three years of experience in the program.

Linebackers

• Starters: Noah Chambers, Kaleb Spencer
• Backups: Keon Wylie, Antwone Santiago

Thoughts: The linebacker room is chock full with collegiate experience. Wylie and Santiago are redshirt seniors, while Spencer is a true senior. Then, there's Chambers as a juxtaposition, who came on strong in his true freshman season last year, logging 44 tackles.

I think that the group as a whole blends proven leadership with an emerging talent in Chambers that should get stronger as the year goes on. How much stronger is yet to be seen, though.

Cornerback/Nickel

• Starters: Isaiah Brown-Murray, Jaquez White, Joshua Clarke
• Backups: Kenny Woseley, Cam Chadwick, Thomas Williams

Thoughts: Though White went down during the spring game, he posted after the contest on his X (formerly) account that he was "all good". Given that, I think it's fair to keep him pencilled in as one of the three starters here.

One intriguing thing to note is how often a nickelback is used in Pry's scheme this year, or whether the star position makes a full-fledged return.

Brown-Murray should be a starter at either corner or nickel, while Clarke shone during the spring game, racking up game-highs in both tackles (seven) and solo tackles (six).

Though Chadwick did not play in the spring game, I still think he'll figure into the two-deep. The same goes for Williams, who's been a mainstay in the rotation.

Safeties

• Starters: Quentin Reddish, Tyson Flowers
• Backups: Jordan Bass, Sheldon Robinson

Thoughts: I think that Johnson can carve out a role in the secondary, but most of his early work has come at free safety, and the depth chart there already looks crowded.

Per PFF, Johnson has logged 35 snaps in the box, 13 in the slot, and 72 at free safety. Robinson has primarily worked in the box (188 snaps) with additional time at slot cornerback (59) and limited free safety reps (28).

Flowers has handled a more consistent hybrid workload, splitting time between the box (219 snaps) and free safety (315 snaps).

Aside from the question of Johnson, I think that the room’s top spots appear relatively settled. Reddish opened last season as the day-one starter before a season-ending shoulder injury altered the rotation, while Flowers started all 12 games and maintained a steady presence throughout.