Virginia Tech’s fall camp opens with a roster that doesn’t look much like the one that stumbled to a 3-9 finish a year ago. James Franklin and his staff worked the transfer portal hard, but they also kept several young players in place who showed real promise in 2025. With jobs still open across the depth chart, the next few weeks give a handful of Hokies a chance to turn potential into something more concrete.
One of the most interesting names is Adams, whose college career has been slowed by injuries since he arrived in Blacksburg as one of the top receivers in the 2024 recruiting class. He’s healthy now, and that alone puts him in position to make a move.
Adams is battling for the No. 3 receiver spot behind Que'Sean Brown and Ayden Greene, and the coaching staff has consistently pointed to his athleticism. If Virginia Tech throws it more under Franklin, this could be the camp where Adams finally starts matching the hype with production.
The backfield picture also has room for movement, even with Marcellous Hawkins still the favorite to lead the group. Overton looks like a player who could force his way into a major role before camp ends.
He missed time with a knee injury, then got into four games as a true freshman in 2025 and made the most of his chances, rushing 25 times for 146 yards and a touchdown while averaging 5.8 yards per carry. His burst and vision stand out, and a strong preseason could put him in line for a meaningful share of the carries this fall.
Another offensive name to watch is Denmark, who arrives from Penn State with built-in familiarity in Franklin’s system. The former three-star recruit played in eight games last season and caught two passes for 17 yards, after posting two receptions for 28 yards and a touchdown during his redshirt year in 2024.
His speed and versatility give him multiple paths to a role, whether that comes as a slot receiver, return specialist or rotational piece. He also showed some of that versatility in the spring game, when he finished with 38 receiving yards on four catches.
On defense, Chambers already proved he can handle being thrown into the deep end. As a true freshman, he stepped into action and finished the 2025 season with 44 tackles despite making only six starts.
That kind of production hints at a player who could be on the verge of a bigger jump, especially with Brent Pry back coordinating the defense. If Chambers puts together a strong camp, it would only add to the belief that he can become one of the ACC’s better young linebackers.
Hilson might have the highest ceiling of the bunch. The former five-star recruit transferred from Missouri this offseason and was also a five-star recruit on Rivals coming out of high school.
With none of Virginia Tech’s defensive ends clearly separating themselves, he’s very much in the mix for a starting job. The Hokies need more consistent pressure off the edge after reworking the defensive front, and Hilson has the physical traits to help deliver it.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech May Have Found 3 Portal Steals For 2026
Virginia Techs 2026 roster has a few transfer additions that dont come with the usual splash, but that may be part of the appeal. Wide receiver Marlion Jackson arrives from Louisiana Tech after showing moderate production there, while edge rusher Okunlola brings experience from Colorado and tight end Matt Henderson comes over from Penn State with a chance to fit into a more favorable offensive setup.
For a program looking to maximize value in the portal, these are the kinds of moves that can matter later more than they do on arrival. Okunlola is coming off a 2025 season that was largely lost to injury, and Hendersons playing time at Penn State was limited, but both enter a situation where Virginia Tech believes there are real opportunities for them to carve out roles. Jackson, meanwhile, gives the Hokies another receiver who has already shown he can produce, making this group an interesting one to watch as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Techs Ceiling May Hinge On One Newcomer
Virginia Tech spent the offseason remaking a roster that needed help almost everywhere after a 3-9 finish, and the quarterback room is where the most attention naturally lands. Ethan Grunkemeyer arrives from Penn State with real production on his rsum, having thrown for 1,339 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions last season, and his addition gives the Hokies a fresh option as they try to steady an offense that struggled to find traction.
Grunkemeyer is hardly the only newcomer expected to matter, with tight end Luke Reynolds also among the transfers brought in to raise the units ceiling. But as the Hokies look for a cleaner, more competitive fall, the questions around the passing game will likely follow the quarterback first, because if this reshuffled group is going to move past last years record, it probably starts with how quickly the new faces settle in. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Enters James Franklins First Season With Real ACC Pressure
Virginia Tech heads into preseason camp on Aug. 5 with a clearer sense of where the expectations sit than it has had in a while. A consensus preseason ACC ranking compiled by VTSCOOP slots the Hokies fifth in the league, with the individual projections stretching from fourth to seventh, a sign that the conference still sees them as a relevant part of the chase rather than a team merely trying to stabilize.
The bigger picture, though, is that the outside view is not uniform. The ACC media poll has Virginia Tech down in eighth, while CBS Sports and USA Today both land on fifth, leaving enough of a spread to keep the conversation honest before camp even opens. For a program trying to turn preseason attention into something more meaningful, that range says plenty about both the opportunity in front of it and the pressure that comes with it. [Read more 🡒]