Virginia Tech is almost through fall camp, and the picture around James Franklin’s first team in Blacksburg is starting to sharpen ahead of the 2026 season opener against VMI. The Hokies still have unresolved battles and a roster that needs to show it can hold up once the games count, but August has already pushed a few players and position groups into the spotlight.
Some jobs look closer to settled than others. A few rooms, though, have produced enough movement to make them worth watching closely once the season begins.
At wide receiver, the most obvious name near the top remains Marlion Jackson, who appears to have the inside track to the third spot behind Ayden Greene and Que’Sean Brown. But Davion “FatRat” Brown has been the clearest riser in that group.
Brown was the fourth receiver through uncontested catch drills during Virginia Tech’s final media-open practice on Aug. 25, trailing Greene, Que’Sean Brown and Jackson. After practice, Franklin highlighted him directly, pointing to both his physical growth and the steady way he has worked through camp.
Brown has added around 15 pounds since arriving at Virginia Tech per Franklin, and that extra size could make his speed even more dangerous against ACC defensive backs. Franklin also said Brown and freshman cornerback Zaevion Cleveland are two of the fastest players on the roster, while noting that Brown has caught the ball well. Even if he isn’t first in line for a bigger role, Brown looks like a strong bet to land in Virginia Tech’s two-deep at receiver.
Running back has a much clearer front end. Marcellous Hawkins has been the first man up throughout camp, and Jeffrey Overton Jr. has settled into the No. 2 spot behind him.
The real intrigue starts after that.
Louisiana transfer Bill Davis has missed time, and that opened the door for Messiah Mickens and Tyler Mason to battle for the third spot. Franklin said that competition could end up being decided by special teams, and he also singled out Mason as one of the team’s most improved players since the spring.
Mason’s rise matters because Virginia Tech brought in more than 50 newcomers this offseason, and the third back doesn’t always see a heavy workload. Still, if Hawkins and Overton remain the top two options and Mason, Mickens or eventually Davis becomes another reliable piece, the room could quietly become one of the offense’s deeper groups.
Quarterback is another area where the answer seems to be coming into focus, even if there is still some development worth tracking. Penn State transfer Ethan Grunkemeyer still feels like the most likely choice to win the starting job. He has consistently opened drills during the media portions of practice, and he is the only quarterback in the room with collegiate game experience after starting seven games at Penn State in 2025.
That said, Kelden Ryan has made enough noise to deserve attention.
When Franklin was asked on Aug. 25 which players had stood out during camp, he first pointed to the quarterback room as a whole before specifically bringing up Ryan. The redshirt freshman is the lone returning quarterback from Virginia Tech’s 2025 room, and Franklin said Ryan had improved as much as nearly anyone in the program.
Ryan may not see much, if any, game action in 2026, but that doesn’t make his progress any less important. His work behind the scenes could set him up for a bigger opportunity later on.
On defense, the clearest path to a real leap may run through the line.
Kemari Copeland is the anchor after earning Third Team All-ACC honors last season, when he posted 48 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Elhadj Fall is back too after finishing with 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, and Virginia Tech added both experience and younger talent to the group during the offseason.
The biggest question sits at defensive end, where former five-star prospect Javion Hilson has become one of the most intriguing upside plays on the roster. Hilson transferred from Missouri this offseason and, coming out of camp, is firmly in the mix for a starting role. There are still questions to answer on that side of the ball, but this group has the ingredients to become a real strength.
Virginia Tech still has plenty to prove in Franklin’s first season, and the roster remains largely untested. But that also creates room for surprise contributors to break through. The next few weeks should offer the first real clue about which players are ready to turn camp momentum into production.
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Virginia Tech Just Gave Fans A Real Reason To Believe
Virginia Techs football roster got a meaningful boost in the latest 247Sports 2026 Team Talent Composite Database, a sign that the program is starting to look a little more like the kind of team fans have been waiting to see. Under James Franklin, the Hokies climbed from No. 40 in 2025 to No. 27 in 2026, reflecting a deeper, more talented roster and a clear uptick in the kind of recruiting profile that can change the trajectory of a program.
The improvement came with more four-star and three-star prospects on the roster, along with a better Team Talent Composite score and stronger average recruit rating. It is also a notable snapshot of the broader shift in Franklins new setting, especially with Penn State sliding from No. 10 to No. 26 over the same stretch, but for Virginia Tech the bigger takeaway is simpler: the foundation looks sturdier, and there is finally some real reason to think the arrow is pointing up. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Techs Biggest Offensive Concern Might Not Be Ethan Grunkemeyer
Ethan Grunkemeyer arrives from Penn State with a clear path to becoming Virginia Techs full-time starting quarterback in 2026, and with new offensive coordinator Ty Howle in place, the Hokies are trying to build some stability around him. The transfer gives the offense a defined face at the most important position, which naturally puts plenty of attention on how quickly he can settle in and how well the system fits what Virginia Tech wants to do next season.
Still, the more pressing concern may be on the outside, where the Hokies need a receiver group that can produce more consistently. Ayden Greene and QueSean Brown headline a room with several players fighting for snaps, and the challenge is not just finding playmakers but finding dependable ones week after week. If Virginia Tech is going to make the quarterback move matter, the passing game will need the receivers to do more than simply compete for roles. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Techs New-Look Roster Gets Its First Real Test Under Brent Pry
Virginia Techs season opener against VMI is less about the scoreboard and more about getting a first look at what Brent Pry has built. With a new head coach guiding a largely rebuilt roster, the game offers a clean early read on the Hokies progress, and the focus will naturally fall on a handful of players whose roles could define how quickly this transition takes hold.
The matchup is expected to be a modest challenge, which makes it a useful setting for evaluating development rather than survival. A strong outing from the key names to watch would not just settle some early questions, it would give Pry a clearer sense of which pieces are ready to carry their weight as Virginia Tech begins its new era. [Read more 🡒]