4 Virginia Tech football transfer primed to make an immediate impact for James Franklin
· Scott Roche · 2026-08-16T13:11:06+00:00 · nguồn gốc
When James Franklin was hired at Virginia Tech, you knew that there was going to be massive roster turnover, and with the Transfer Portal, there was going to be an influx of talent in Blacksburg that was going to come in and produce right away.
Now, of course, we need to see the results on the field this fall, but there are some transfers who are primed for a huge season for the Hokies. Here are four names that fans will hear on a weekly basis this fall.
Ethan Grunkemeyer: Quarterback
I know this may seem obvious; however, given the turnover at the position, it feels like Franklin and position coach Danny O'Brien hit it big when it comes to someone coming in and starting right away after Kyron Drones graduated and Pop Watson and Garret Rangel both hit the portal. All signs pointed to Ethan Grunkemeyer following Franklin and O'Brien once he hit the portal.
Coming on in relief of the injured Drew Allar last season for interim coach Terry Smith, Grunkemeyer got his feet wet in major college football, and that will prove to be a big opportunity that will pay dividends this season. Knowing the offense and already having time under Franklin, O'Brien, and offensive coordinator Ty Howle will be big. There are some playmakers at the skilled positions for GrunKemeyer who are going to make the transition easy of him and allow him to showcase his arm throwing the ball downfield.
Luke Reynolds: Tight End
Again, I know we're not breaking any news here; however, if there is a player poised for a breakout season, it's tight end Luke Reynolds. He had 26 catches for 257 yards last season for the Nittany Lions, but those numbers should go up in 2026. The 6-foot-4 Massachusetts native has good hands and will be a big target in the red zone for Grunkmeyer as well as a key piece of the running game in terms of blocking. The tight end position is going to be a very underrated position for the Hokies in 2026 and beyond under Howle and Franklin.
Cam Chadwick: Cornerback
With Grunkemeyer and Reynolds getting all the headlines on the offensive side of the ball from the portal, on the defensive side, two secondary players are going to fly a bit under the radar but should make a big impact: Jaquez White and Cam Chadwick. We're going to focus on Chadwick here, as the UConn transfer was a tackling machine for the Huskies and former coach Jim Mora.
In two years for UConn, Chadwick recorded 113 tackles, including 66 last fall. The 5-foot-11 speedster is tremendous in one-on-one coverage and should solidify the Hokies' secondary for new defensive coordinator Brent Pry. It wouldn't be surprising to see his numbers dip a bit this season, but his impact will be bigger than the numbers.
Samuel Okunlola: Defensive Lineman
There is a lot to like about the Virginia Tech defensive line for the upcoming season. Returner Kemari Copeland is getting all the headlines and rightfully so. However, veteran transfer Samuel Okunlola from Colorado is someone who could make a big impact.
Another Massachusetts native like Reynolds, Okunlola played two seasons for Deion Sanders in Boulder after a year at Pittsburgh and registered 49 tackles, incuding 30 two years ago. The 6-foot-3 Brockton native played in one game last season and, now healthy, he could benefit from the attention that Copeland and others will draw in 2026.