James Franklin, Virginia Tech Make Quarterback Move on Saturday
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The Virginia Tech Hokies are under new leadership with head coach James Franklin replacing Brent Pry. He brings 15 years of experience, spanning his time at Vanderbilt and Penn State.
However, going into the offseason, he will need to address several roster changes. The team is losing its 2025 starting quarterback Kyron Drones, who is out of eligibility. Backups William Watson III and Garret Rangel are also leaving, but through the transfer portal.
Franklin has quickly gotten to work to rebuild the position group. On Saturday, On3 reported that Virginia Tech landed a commitment from former North Carolina quarterback Bryce Baker.
In 2025, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound quarterback did not record any statistics with the Tar Heels. However, he’s still an intriguing addition for the Hokies.
Coming out of high school in the 2025 recruiting cycle, he was a four-star recruit, the No. 9 quarterback and the No. 87 player in the nation, per Rivals Industry Rankings. He committed to North Carolina despite offers from Penn State, Duke, Florida and NC State.
In his senior year for East Forsyth High School in Kernersville, North Carolina, he threw for 3,523 yards, 40 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 145.2 quarterback rating. Baker also rushed for 303 yards and six touchdowns on 72 carries.
The only other quarterbacks on the Hokies’ current roster are redshirt freshmen Kelden Ryan and A.J. Brand. Troy Huhn will also be joining the team as a recruit in the 2026 cycle.
This means Baker joins Virginia Tech in a position to potentially fight for the starting job. After redshirting in 2025, he still has four years of eligibility.
Related: Bryce Underwood Comments on Michigan RB’s Decision to Enter Transfer Portal
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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