Virginia Tech’s transfer class for 2026-27 splits pretty cleanly into two groups: the players who have already shown they can handle real high-major or mid-major roles, and the ones who bring more projection than proof. That distinction matters here, because the question of who is most important depends on whether you value what a player has already done or what he might grow into in Blacksburg.
On the proven side, I’d put my money on Izaiah Elohim. He arrives with a résumé built around scoring versatility and the ability to create offense on the perimeter.
At FAU, he became a double-digit scorer who could make shots for himself and function as both a primary and secondary ball-handler. That kind of self-generated offense is a premium skill in college basketball, especially in a system that often needs guards to manufacture points late in the shot clock instead of leaning only on set plays.
Elohim’s numbers at Florida Atlantic in 2025-26 back that up: 12.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 46.5% from the field and 36.8% from three over 32 games, all starts. The bigger point is how he scores.
He doesn’t need a bunch of structure around him to find his spots. He can attack downhill, get to the rim, and create midrange looks on his own.
He also gives Virginia Tech some useful playmaking, even if he’s not a pure point guard. He can start offense, read pick-and-roll coverages and take some of the pressure off other ball-handlers.
Kuol Atak brings a different kind of value. His appeal is tied to spacing and the modern stretch-forward profile.
He isn’t coming in as a featured scorer, but his shooting at his size can change the shape of an offense. That kind of floor spacing can open driving lanes for guards like Elohim and give Virginia Tech more lineup flexibility.
At Oklahoma, Atak averaged 7.0 points in 12.4 minutes per game as a redshirt freshman. The production came in a small sample, but if he turns that into more consistent impact with a bigger role, he could end up being the Hokies’ most impactful transfer.
Miles Heide and the other incoming depth transfers look more like rotation support than headline additions. Heide’s role at San Diego State was limited but useful in specific situations, and that points to a similar job in Blacksburg: size, defense and short bursts rather than major scoring responsibility.
So if the standard is proven production and two-way reliability, the answer is Elohim. If the question is upside, Atak has the clearest path to becoming the most important transfer in the group.
In Other News...
Virginia Techs 2026 Rebuild May Hinge On One Transfer Above All
Virginia Techs 2026 rebuild is taking shape around a familiar transfer-heavy blueprint, but the most important arrival may be the one under center. Ethan Grunkemeyer came over from Penn State with starting experience already on his rsum, and that matters for a roster expected to lean on a wave of newcomers as it tries to reset for the future.
Grunkemeyers value goes beyond simply adding another arm to the room. He is the only quarterback on the Hokies roster with meaningful collegiate playing time, which gives him a head start in a competition that will shape how quickly the offense can settle in next season. For a program trying to piece together a new foundation, the quarterback who has already been through real game action may end up carrying the most weight of all. [Read more 🡒]