After spending the past couple of hours going through the Virginia Tech Football roster position group-by-position group, basically, player-by-player, there’s a lot to like, and a lot that Tech fans should worry about.
I really like the depth on the offensive line and the secondary.
There’s talent, though it’s thin, at wideout and tailback.
They’re really thin at QB, which will affect game-planning.
First-year head coach James Franklin brought in a lot of Power 4 transfers, most of them untested at the college level.
Bottom line: keep the key guys healthy, and I can see Franklin getting eight wins out of this group.
If the war of attrition takes too many key guys out of the lineup, a sub-.500 season is very possible.
Offense
QB
- Ethan Grunkemeyer (Penn State): completed 68.7 percent of his pass attempts in 2025, eight TD/four INTs, with 59 sack-adjusted yards on the ground – negative-8 yards on designed runs, 67 yards on scrambles
- Bryce Baker (North Carolina): redshirted in 2025
- Kelden Ryan: redshirted in 2025
Analysis: Grunkemeyer is a capable passer, and he has targets at wideout and tight end. Going to need to keep him upright.
O line
- C Kyle Altuner: 793 snaps, 15 QB pressures/1 sack allowed
- RT Aidan Lynch: 683 snaps, 27 QB pressures/2 sacks allowed
- LT Johnny Garrett: 619 snaps, 24 QB pressures/2 sacks allowed
- LG Layth Ghannam: 598 snaps, 14 QB pressures/5 sacks allowed
- RG Montavious Cunningham: 233 snaps, 4 QB pressures/0 sacks allowed
- LT Logan Howland (Oklahoma): 221 snaps, 12 QB pressures/0 sacks allowed
- G Tommy Ricard: 156 snaps, 9 QB pressures/3 sacks allowed
- G Gavin Crawford: 108 snaps, 3 QB pressures/0 sacks allowed
Analysis: Four returning starters, lots of depth behind them.
Tailback
- Bill Davis (Louisiana): 767 yards rushing, 4.9 yards/attempt, 6 TDs, 0 fumbles, 10 catches/14 targets, 70 yards
- Marcellous Hawkins: 744 yards rushing, 6.3 yards/attempt, 1 TD, 0 fumbles, 11 catches/14 targets, 79 yards
- Jeffrey Overton Jr.: 146 yards rushing, 5.8 yards/attempt, 1 TD, 0 fumbles, 1 catch/4 targets, 36 yards
Analysis: Top-end talent is solid, but depth is a concern.
Wideout
- Que’Sean Brown (Duke): 65 catches/91 targets, 844 yards, 5 TDs, 1 drop
- Ayden Greene: 31 catches/63 targets, 517 yards, 3 TDs, 1 drop
- Takye Heath: 22 catches/38 targets, 200 yards, 3 TDs, 3 drops
- Marlion Jackson (Louisiana Tech): 20 catches/43 targets, 370 yards, 2 TDs, 4 drops
Analysis: I love Que’Sean Brown as the lead guy here. Depth is a concern.
Tight ends
- Luke Reynolds (Penn State): 26 catches/35 targets, 257 yards, 0 TDs, 3 drops
- Ja’Ricious Hairston: 12 catches/16 targets, 112 yards, 3 TDs, 1 drop
- Benji Gosnell: 12 catches/19 targets, 86 yards, 0 TDs, 1 drop
Analysis: Great depth here.
Defense
D line
- DE Elhadj Fall: 475 snaps, 15 QB pressures/3 sacks, 19 run-game tackles
- DE Curtis Jones Jr. (West Virginia): 253 snaps, 9 QB pressures/1 sack, 8 run-game tackles
- DE Jason Abbey: 196 snaps, 6 QB pressures/1 sack, 7 run-game tackles
- DE Aycen Stevens: 193 snaps, 3 QB pressures/0 sacks, 10 run-game tackles
- DT Kemari Copeland: 471 snaps, 20 pressures/5 sacks, 25 run-game tackles
- DT Emmett Laws: 161 snaps, 6 QB pressures/2 sacks, 6 run-game tackles
Analysis: The depth with this group is untested transfers with good recruiting pedigrees.
Linebacker
- Kaleb Spencer: 373 snaps, 6 QB pressures/1 sack, 65 tackles, 1 PBU
- Noah Chambers: 283 snaps, 6 QB pressures/1 sack, 38 tackles, 1 PBU
- Keon Wylie (Penn State): 215 snaps, 9 QB pressures/1 sack, 25 tackles, 1 PBU
- Antwone Santiago: 114 snaps, 1 QB pressure, 10 tackles
Analysis: Very thin here.
Secondary
- CB Cam Chadwick Jr. (UConn): 862 snaps, 70 tackles, 36 catches/56 targets, 4 INTs/3PBUs
- CB Isaiah Brown-Murray: 694 snaps, 44 tackles, 27 catches/46 targets, 1 INT/4 PBUs
- CB Thomas Williams: 561 snaps, 35 tackles, 19 catches/35 targets, 2 PBUs
- CB Kenny Woseley Jr. (Penn State): 238 snaps, 9 catches/15 targets, 1 PBU
- CB Jojo Crim: 149 snaps, 7 tackles, 6 catches/6 targets
- S Tyson Flowers: 617 snaps, 52 tackles, 16 catches/25 targets, 2 PBUs
- S Jordan Bass: 390 snaps, 21 tackles, 9 catches/13 targets,
- S Sheldon Robinson: 279 snaps, 20 tackles, 8 catches/12 targets,
- S Brennan Johnson: 120 snaps, 10 tackles, 2 catches/3 targets,
- S Quentin Reddish: 110 snaps, 13 tackles, 0 catches/1 target, 1 INT
Analysis: Love the depth and talent here.
Special teams
- PK John Love: 25-of-25 XPA, 15-of-20 FGA (4-of-9 40+)
- P Nathan Totten (Marshall): 45.5 yards per attempt, 23-of-63 inside the 20
- LS Christian Epling: 282 career snaps
Analysis: Solid numbers and experience.
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Chris Graham
