Virginia Tech Football: Hokies’ 2024 opponent hit hard by transfer portal

Monday, the college football transfer portal officially opened. Currently, Virginia Tech has had tight end Dae’Quan Wright and running back Bryce Duke enter the portal for 2024.

The transfer portal is going to affect every school and already this week, several big names and some surprising ones have hit the portal. One of Virginia Tech’s opponents for next season has seen a large number of their players already enter the portal for next season.

Vanderbilt sees several players hit the transfer portal

Recently, things have not been too good for Vanderbilt in the SEC. They went winless in conference play and finished 2-10. Monday, they had 13 players hit the transfer portal for next season and they lost some key ones.

Wide receiver Will Sheppard announced on X that he will be leaving Nashville with one season of eligibility remaining. He had 47 receptions this season for 684 yards and eight touchdowns for the Commodores and was a big part and focal point of their offense.

Vanderbilt is also losing wide receivers Jayden McGowan, and Gamarion Carter also entering the portal and Landon Humphreys will likely follow. Quarterbacks AJ Swann and Ken Seals are also in the portal, just to name a few who are leaving. At last count, Vanderbilt had 16 players enter the portal.

Virginia Tech will open the 2024 season on Aug. 31 against Vanderbilt at Nissan Stadium in Nashville and there is no telling what the Commodores will look like. There could be more players that make the jump to the portal and they will add players from the portal as well. That’s college football in 2023.

Hokies coach Brent Pry knows how important the transfer portal is for all teams as his team benefitted greatly from it this season with quarterback Kyron Drones (Baylor), running back Bhayshul Tuten (North Carolina A&T), and defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland (Florida) to name a few.