Virginia Tech football: 5 offensive players to watch in fall camp

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In less than two weeks, the Virginia Tech Hokies will finally take the field for fall camp. We’ll finally see the new-look Hokies with head coach James Franklin, along with the quick return of Brent Pry as the defensive coordinator. Before fall camp begins, let’s preview five players to watch on offense.

QB Ethan Grunkemeyer

There is real excitement surrounding Grunkemeyer. The Hokies haven’t named him as the starter yet. Why? Well, that would go against everything Franklin says about competition. Grunkemeyer didn’t come to Blacksburg to sit. He had options. He chose the Hokies. As a redshirt freshman last fall, Grunkemeyer took over at quarterback for Penn State after Franklin was fired. He would start the final seven games, completing 69% of his passes for 1,339 yards, with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. He led PSU to four consecutive wins to finish the season, including a bowl win over Clemson.

Grunkemeyer is different than what some Virginia Tech fans are accustomed to seeing. He plays the game from the pocket. That has been missed. He’s not going to take off running often. It will be interesting to see how quickly the Hokies officially name Grunkemeyer the starter.

RB Jeffrey Overton Jr.

Marcellous Hawkins is Virginia Tech’s starter. Bill Davis will also factor into the mix. But make no mistake, the redshirt freshman will be heavily featured this fall. Overton brings something different to the table. He is a big play waiting to happen. We saw it happen late last season. Overton looked great in the spring and also looks to have added some size. The Hokies have terrific backfield depth, and each of the top three is capable of leading the way.

WR Brodie Adams

You know about Que’Sean Brown and Ayden Greene. They are expected to be Virginia Tech’s top two receivers. Who will emerge as the WR3? There are several interesting names. None more so than Adams. A top recruit in 2024, injuries have limited his opportunities. He’s healthy now. The 6-foot-0, 192-pound Virginia Beach native possesses the talent to be a WR1. The Hokies don’t need him to be the No. 1 wideout in 2026. They need him to show significant progress, beginning in fall camp. It will be fun to see which players emerge at certain positions, especially receiver. I believe Adams will be one at wide receiver to keep an eye on.

TE Luke Reynolds

The Hokies completely transformed this position with the hiring of new offensive coordinator Ty Howle. Arguably the best TE coach in the country, Luke Reynolds and Matt Henderson followed him from Penn State. Benji Gosnell returned, as did Ja’Ricous Hairson and Harrison Saint Germain. This group is loaded. Reynolds and Gosnell are essentially the co.1 No 1s. Reynolds has All-American ability and received some preseason love as an All-ACC selection this summer. There is also the built-in connection and trust between Reynolds and Grunkemeyer. I wouldn’t be surprised if he leads the team in targets and receptions in 2026. Gosnell will be heavily involved, too.

OT Logan Howland

We are seeing a lot of preseason depth charts with Howland not in the starting lineup. I do not believe that. Howland, if healthy, should be Virginia Tech’s left tackle in 2026. The Oklahoma transfer spent time in the starting lineup for the Sooners, but injuries limited him last season. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Ideally, Howland can start at left tackle, allowing Johnny Garrett to play inside at guard, or even at right tackle. If it works out that way, that’s great news for the Hokies. When you have a quarterback who plays more from the pocket, you need to have a reliable blind-side protector. Howland can be that guy. In an offseason full of new additions, I believe Howland’s is flying under the radar. If he can stay healthy, he’ll be a significant part of VT’s plans in 2026.

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