Virginia Tech is trying to turn the page on a 3-9 season in 2025, and if the Hokies do make that jump in 2026, a few players look positioned to benefit in a big way.
Luke Reynolds stands out as one of the cleanest fits on the roster. He arrives from Penn State with 368 receiving yards on 35 catches over the last two years, and the move to Blacksburg puts him back in a system that should feel familiar.
Franklin’s offenses have always featured the tight end, and Reynolds already has comfort with Ethan Grunkemeyer throwing to him. That should make the transition smoother, especially with Benji Gosnell sharing snaps in what could be one of the ACC’s deeper tight end rooms.
Virginia Tech can also lean into 12- and 13-personnel looks to get both on the field, with Reynolds able to line up in the slot or even in the backfield. His value goes beyond the usual tight end label, too.
He can attack the seam, stress linebackers, and give the offense a dependable option on third down. If he ends up with 40-plus receptions and six or seven touchdowns, his stock could rise into the upper tier of ACC tight ends.
Jaylin Lane has shown the kind of speed that can change a game in a hurry, but the production hasn’t always matched the burst. That could shift if Virginia Tech opens things up the way it seems ready to do.
Lane is part of a receiver group that includes Ayden Greene, Que’Sean Brown and several newcomers, and his familiarity with wide receivers coach Fontel Mines gives him another edge. He finished with 200 receiving yards on 22 catches and scored three times, and those numbers feel like they have room to grow if his role expands the way it appears it should.
Jeffrey Overton Jr. may not need a reinvention so much as a full season. He’s in line to back up Marcellous Hawkins as the No. 2 running back, and he already showed what he can do in a limited sample by piling up 146 rushing yards over the final four games of the season.
If he can simply stay healthy and handle a larger workload, the numbers should follow. More carries should mean more yards, more touchdowns and more chances to show off the balance and burst that make him interesting in the first place.
Antwaun Powell-Ryland is already one of the best players on the roster, but there’s still another gear he can hit. The redshirt senior defensive tackle enters the season as a preseason First Team All-ACC selection and a legitimate NFL prospect after improving year after year in Blacksburg. He put up 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in his redshirt junior season, and another step forward would only strengthen his case.
Ayden Greene also looks ready for more. He quietly put together a strong 2025 season, leading Virginia Tech with 31 catches for 516 yards while averaging 16.6 yards per reception.
Those numbers should climb if the offense becomes more efficient with Grunkemeyer in his first full season running it. Greene has the skill set to be the Hokies’ top target again, thanks to his route running, body control and ability to win contested catches.
The talent is already there. The production may just be catching up.
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Ben Hammond, Amani Hansberry and Tyler Johnson form the core of that return, and Johnsons presence matters even more because he missed most of last season with an injury. For a team trying to build on what it already has rather than start from scratch, that kind of continuity can shape everything from lineup construction to early-season expectations, even if the full picture of how far this group can go still has to be filled in. [Read more 🡒]