Virginia Tech continues to shore up its special teams unit, and the latest addition brings both talent and upside. On Friday, the Hokies landed a commitment from punter Luke Jones, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound specialist who’s been turning heads with his leg and consistency. After visiting Blacksburg the weekend of January 23, Jones received a scholarship offer-and just a week later, he made it official: he’s joining the Hokies’ 2026 recruiting class.
Jones had options. He held four scholarship offers and ultimately chose Virginia Tech over Michigan State, Kentucky, and Old Dominion. That decision adds another piece to a Hokies special teams puzzle that’s been steadily coming together under Doug Shearer’s guidance.
And this isn’t just any punter commit. Jones comes with a solid résumé.
According to Kohl’s Kicking-a respected name in the specialist world-he earned Second Team honors on the Kohl’s High School Season All-American Team. In the 2025 season, he averaged a booming 49.84 yards on 46 punts.
That kind of consistency and field-flipping ability is hard to ignore. He also picked up Third Team All-American honors in 2024, showing his development has been trending in the right direction.
Jones isn’t flying solo in his preparation, either. He trains with the Hammer Kicking Academy, a program that includes two former Division I punters as coaches.
One of them is Shane McDonough, who punted for NC State and Towson. The other is a name Hokies fans know well-Peter Moore.
Moore was a three-time team captain at Virginia Tech and a two-time All-ACC punter during his run from 2020 to 2024. Having that kind of mentorship in your corner?
That’s a big deal.
From a roster standpoint, Jones gives the Hokies some much-needed depth. After the 2025 season, redshirt freshman Cole Byrd was the only punter left on the roster.
Nick Veltsistas, who handled punting duties last season, exhausted his eligibility. So while Jones brings promise, Virginia Tech has also addressed the immediate future at the position.
Earlier this offseason, the Hokies picked up Marshall transfer Nathan Totten out of the portal. Totten was a Second Team All-Sun Belt selection and landed on the Ray Guy Award Watchlist this past season. With two years of eligibility left, he’s expected to take over punting duties in 2026, giving Jones time to learn, develop, and compete.
This marks the fourth specialist that Doug Shearer has brought in ahead of the 2026 campaign. And while punters don’t always grab the headlines, the Hokies know how crucial that position can be. With Totten ready to go and Jones waiting in the wings, Virginia Tech’s special teams room is looking deeper, stronger, and more competitive heading into next fall.