After a quiet NFL Draft in Pittsburgh over the weekend, several former Virginia Tech football players caught on with some teams as undrafted free agents or as rookie mini-camp invitees. It was the second draft in three years where there were no Virginia Tech players selected.
Now that James Franklin has been hired at Virginia Tech, quiet drafts are likely going to be a thing of the past in Blacksburg. There are some players who are returning for their final season with the program who could be drafted next season. Cody Nagel of CBS Sports listed two players who could hear their name called in Washington next April.
Two Virginia Tech players who could be drafted in 2027
Nagel listed one or two players from each Power 4 Conference school who did not have a player drafted this season. For the Hokies, he listed wide receiver Ayden Greene and defensive lineman Kemari Copeland as two players who could be drafted in the spring.
"Only three active college coaches have produced more NFL Draft picks than James Franklin, which is a good note for Virginia Tech after going without a selection for the third time in eight years. There's at least some foundation on the defensive side, where Kemari Copeland is coming off a season leading the Hokies in sacks and appears primed for a jump in his draft stock if that production carries over with former coach Brent Pry still on board. On offense, Ayden Greene is one of the more intriguing upside bets on the roster,'' wrote Nagel.
You can't help but agree with Nagel. Of the two, Greene is the one who could be intriguing to NFL teams if he has the season he's capable of under new offensive coordinator Ty Howle and Franklin. There were some players on the Hokies 2025 roster that Franklin needed to retain, and Greene, along with Copeland, were at the top of that list.
Greene had battled injuries at Virginia Tech at times, but when he's healthy, he's a play-maker that could raise his draft stock. As far as Copeland goes, he should benefit from new defensive line coach Sean Spencer and have a breakout season in 2026. Both have a very good chance of being picked with a strong fall.
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