BLACKSBURG, Va. — New year, new roster — and an evolving one at that.
It used to be a team would get past the New Year and have a pretty good idea about what its roster would look like the next season. Now? With transfer portal entries and recruiting still ongoing, there are major pieces that could change places this month or even after spring ball that will reshape the depth chart.
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Virginia Tech, for instance, has a roster that still feels very in flux. The Hokies have, by my rough count, 91 scholarship players when including all of the transfers and the 2023 signing class — six over the 85 max. And Tech is still pursuing more transfers at a variety of positions.
Not only does there have to be some movement to accommodate that by this summer, when the entirety of the 2023 class enrolls, but there also needs to be a lot of movement.
But that uncertainty doesn’t prevent projecting how the depth chart might start out this spring as the Hokies turn the page to next season.
(Only signees who are early enrollees are included in the 2023 class. All years listed aren’t accounting for possible extra COVID-19 seasons. Defense and special teams projections were published Friday.)
Quarterback
Starter: Grant Wells (Sr.) OR Kyron Drones (So.)
Backups: Devin Farrell (redshirt-Fr.), Tahj Bullock (So.)
Others: Dylan Wittke (Fr.), Pop Watson (Fr.)
2022 snap counts (per Pro Football Focus): Wells 732, Drones 67 (at Baylor)
A dual-threat with huge upside 📈
Welcome home, Kyron Drones (@KyronDrones)#ThisIsHome23 | #GroundUp pic.twitter.com/w1sbLKSu6P
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) December 21, 2022
Overview: Beginning this exercise with an “or” is less than ideal, but there’s so much up in the air at quarterback that it’s a must. Sure, there’s the train of thought that Drones didn’t commit here to be the backup, and the Hokies’ dialed-in focus on him the second he went into the portal — offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen was down in Texas in a hot second — suggests they see him as a big part of this offense in 2023.
But, despite showing some good things in limited action last year for Baylor at West Virginia, he’s also played a grand total of 67 snaps in his college career, which has to give Tech some pause from straight-up elevating him to the top of the depth chart. (Not that the Hokies coaches would do that without at least some semblance of competition this spring anyway.)
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It’s why this spring should be important, with Wells coming back as someone who has started three years in his college career and all of last year for the Hokies. His numbers last season weren’t great (2,091 yards, 9 TDs, 9 INTs) but neither was his supporting cast, something Tech has upgraded, particularly at wide receiver. While Drones has an enticing set of tools, Wells has the advantage of a full season in the offense and with these coaches already.
The players behind them haven’t had much of a chance to prove themselves. Bullock played only in the fourth quarter of the 2021 Pinstripe Bowl, Farrell redshirted last year and the two early enrollees, Wittke and Watson, just wrapped up high school. There’s still a lot of development to be had in that next wave.
Running back
Starter: Malachi Thomas (So.)
Backups: Keshawn King (Sr.), Chance Black (So.)
Others: Bryce Duke (Fr.), Kenji Christian (So.), Jeremiah Coney (Fr.)
2022 snap counts: King 205, Thomas 138, Black 80, Duke 51
Overview: There’s no more telling statistic among the running backs from last year than Thomas, the team’s most promising offensive player when he’s healthy, getting only 138 snaps due to various leg and ankle injuries. That was a killer for an offense lacking playmakers. When out there, Thomas was a difference-maker. When he wasn’t, the Hokies struggled to find someone who could consistently churn out yards until senior Jalen Holston put it all together at Liberty.
King is a game breaker (6.0 yards per carry, 3 TDs) when he’s healthy, but this deep into his career, he doesn’t seem like he’s durable enough to be an every-down back. His explosiveness might be more effective in limited doses if it keeps him on the field.
Black (2.8 ypc) never got much going last year, while Duke (3.3 ypc) really got action only in short-yardage situations. Both should get an extended look this spring, especially now that the Hokies have their running back scholarship numbers under control (there were 10 last year at this time, creating a crowded room for reps).
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Despite having good size, Christian hasn’t played much in his career, raising the question if he’ll fit. Coney arrives as a freshman after rushing for 1,400 yards and 21 touchdowns as a high school senior. If he catches on quickly, the depth chart here isn’t insurmountable.
Given the limited returning production at tailback, it makes sense that Brent Pry is amenable to adding a transfer if the right situation presents itself.
Wide receiver
Starters: Ali Jennings (Sr.), Da’Wain Lofton (Jr.), Da’Quan Felton (Jr.)
Backups: Stephen Gosnell (Sr.), Tucker Holloway (So.), Jaylen Jones (Jr.)
Others: Christian Moss (So.), Dallan Wright (So.), Xayvion-Turner Bradshaw (r-Fr.), Ayden Greene (Fr.), Marcell Baylor (Fr.)
2022 snap counts: Lofton 549, Felton 542 (at Norfolk State), Jennings 507 (at Old Dominion University), Gosnell 267, Jones 108, Moss 71, Holloway 37
Overview: The position features a significant overhaul. Last year’s leader in every receiving category, Kaleb Smith, is off to Notre Dame, creating a major hole but also plenty of opportunities this spring.
Jennings and Felton are incoming transfers who figure to vie for starting roles right away. Jennings averaged more than 1,000 yards the last two seasons at ODU and Felton blossomed at Norfolk State, catching seven touchdowns last year and bringing size (the Hokies list him at 6-foot-5) that Tech lacks at receiver.
Lofton (22 catches, 254 yards, 2 TD) had issues with drops last year but is still the most experienced returning receiver, with what could be a pretty clearly defined role in the slot.
Gosnell (10 catches, 134 yards) is probably the other top option in that group. After him, it’s anyone’s guess. Jones had a mostly quiet 2022 after being mentioned in the same breath as Lofton when they arrived, and Holloway got added reps down the stretch when he took over the punt return job, despite limited work all season.
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Moss oddly disappeared after showing early promise last year, and Wright is coming off an injury that kept him out all of 2022. Is it any wonder there’s excitement around some of the incoming freshmen contributing early? Greene, a 6-2, 175-pound December addition from Knoxville, enrolls this month and has a shot to make an early impression.
Tight end
Starter: Nick Gallo (Sr.)
Backup: Dae’Quan Wright (So.)
Others: Harrison Saint Germain (r-Fr.), Benji Gosnell (r-Fr.)
2022 snap counts: Gallo 661, Wright 140
Overview: It’s not quite as deep of a crew as it was last year when Drake De Iuliis and Connor Blumrick were here, but Gallo’s a nice veteran returning who was second on the team with 30 catches for 256 yards.
A focus this spring should be on getting Wright to be more of an all-around tight end. He showed a lot as a pass-catcher as a freshman, with 19 receptions for 208 yards, but most of his snaps came as a slot receiver. He can add value if he rounds out his game to do more hand-on-the-ground stuff.
Saint Germain played early last year before Tech shut him down to preserve his redshirt, so he’s not coming in completely green. Gosnell is coming off his second knee injury the last two falls, so the Hokies should be very careful with him this spring.
Offensive line
Starters: LT Xavier Chaplin (r-Fr.), LG Jesse Hanson (Sr.), C Jack Hollifield (So.), RG Kaden Moore (Jr.), RT Parker Clements (Jr.)
Backups: LT Bob Schick (Jr.), LG Braelin Moore (r-Fr.), C Nikolai Bujnowski (Jr.), RG Brody Meadows (r-Fr.), RT Johnny Garrett (r-Fr.)
Others: Johnny Dickson (r-Fr.), Hunter Mclain (r-Fr.), Layth Ghannam (Fr.), Hannes Hammer (Fr.), Lance Williams (Fr.)
2022 snap counts: Clements 761, K. Moore 758, Hanson 632, B. Moore 81, Schick 58, Chaplin 27, Hollifield 2
Overview: Get ready for some mixing and matching. Whatever projections are made about the spring season, there’s a good chance of it not ending up that way. Why? Outside of the three veterans in the group (Clements, Hanson and Kaden Moore), there’s almost no in-game experience from everyone else on the roster, which is going to make the task ahead for offensive line coach Joe Rudolph an interesting one.
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Left tackle Silas Dzansi and center Johnny Jordan are gone, creating two significant holes. Chaplin, a massive redshirt freshman, got some work at left tackle against Liberty and might be the answer there if he develops as planned.
Center is anyone’s guess. Hollifield was next on the depth chart but barely played last year. Bujnowski, a walk-on, worked there plenty last offseason, though he didn’t play last season. Could someone like Braelin Moore, a promising redshirt freshman who got a taste in the fall, be a possibility if he doesn’t get the left guard job? Finding the best five might lead to some shuffling.
Meadows and Garrett were on the depth chart’s second team last year at right guard and tackle, though neither got on the field. There are no redshirt considerations with them now, so it’s full steam ahead.
It’s also notable that three of the Hokies’ four offensive line signees are arriving early. Ghannam was the highest-ranked prospect in the 2023 class, signing as the top-ranked player in West Virginia. Usually, a redshirt season is assumed with linemen who just arrive, because that first year of size and strength development is so critical, but given Tech’s lack of experience throughout the O-line, they have to be considered more of an option than normal in Year 1.
(Photo of Grant Wells: Jaylynn Nash / USA Today)
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