Virginia Tech tight end Luke Reynolds has landed on the Mackey Award Watch List, giving the Hokies another preseason honor as camp approaches.
The program announced the news on social media earlier today. Reynolds, a junior from Westford, Mass., is listed at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds and is set to begin his first season at Virginia Tech after spending two years at Penn State.
Reynolds arrived in college with plenty of pedigree. Coming out of high school, he was rated a five-star prospect by 247Sports and a four-star by ESPN and On3/Rivals.
As a senior at Cheshire Academy in Connecticut, he put up 754 receiving yards on 48 catches, averaging 15.7 yards per grab, and scored nine touchdowns. That season earned him NEPSAC MVP honors, along with invitations to the Adidas All-American Bowl and the Under Armour All-American Game.
His path to Virginia Tech runs through his time with Penn State and current Hokies head coach James Franklin, who was then leading the Nittany Lions. Reynolds started four games during Penn State’s run to the CFP semifinals in 2024 and appeared in all 16 games, finishing with nine catches for 111 yards and a touchdown while working behind NFL Draftee Tyler Warren, the 2024 Mackey Award winner.
His role grew in 2025. Reynolds totaled 26 receptions for 257 yards, and his best outing came against Villanova on Sept. 13, when he caught five passes for 73 yards.
He finished his Penn State career with 368 receiving yards and a touchdown on 35 catches over two seasons. Reynolds had two years of eligibility when he entered the transfer portal, but under the NCAA’s new five-in-five age-based eligibility clock, he presumably has a third year available.
He also gave Virginia Tech a glimpse of what he can bring in the spring. In the Hokies’ spring game on April 18, Reynolds led all players with five catches and 69 receiving yards. Virginia Tech’s tight ends were a major part of that showcase, combining for 205 of the game’s 428 receiving yards.
The Mackey Award has been given annually since 2000 to honor the nation’s top tight end and commemorate Pro Football Hall of Famer John Mackey. Reynolds is one of eight ACC tight ends on this year’s watch list, joined by California’s Dorian Thomas, Duke’s Jeremiah Hasley, Georgia Tech’s Chris Corbo, Louisville’s Brody Foley, Miami’s Elijah Lofton, North Carolina’s Jelani Thurman and SMU’s Randy Pittman Jr.
He’s also the third Hokie to show up on a preseason watch list. Defensive lineman Kemari Copeland, Virginia Tech’s lone selection to the 2026 All-ACC Preseason Team, was named to the Nagurski and Outland Trophy Watch Lists yesterday, and long snapper Christian Epling earned a spot on the Mannelly Award Watch List.
Virginia Tech opens the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET against VMI on ACC Network. The first media availability for fall camp is set for tomorrow.
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