The Transfer Portal window has closed for this cycle, and there has been a lot of turnover with not only the Virginia Tech roster under James Franklin, but also across college football. As far as the Hokies go, it wasn't surprising to see the number of players enter the portal as they did, but there were some big names and fan favorites to hit the portal and find new homes for the 2026 campaign.
It will be worth following some of the former Hokies next season at their new stops, and here are the three biggest losses this portal cycle for Virginia Tech.
3 Virginia Tech transfer fans will hate to see in a different uniform in 2026
The first player to enter the portal was cornerback Dante Lovett, and he did that in September after Brent Pry was fired. Lovett was someone who was primed for a big breakout 2025 season, but it never materialized after he hit the portal when Pry was fired. He had several teams after him, and he ended up settling on UCLA and new coach Bob Chesney. He is someone who will make a big impact for the Bruins next season. A very likable player during his time in Blacksburg, who grew over the years into a good player.
The last two seasons, Caleb Woodson has been a key player at linebacker for the Hokies. In 2024, he registered 72 tackles, two sacks, and an interception. His best game was with 10 tackles in a loss at home against Rutgers, and he had nine tackles in a game against Boston College and Virginia.
He announced last year that he was returning for the 2025 season, and he was good again. he had 57 tackles for the Hokies this past season in nine games. He had nine tackles in back-to-back games against Vanderbilt and Old Dominion before missing a month of action. He'll slot into Alabama's defense next year in his final year of eligibility.
When push came to shove, Pop Watson was just as liked during his time at Virginia Tech as Lovett was. He probably should have gotten more action than what he did, but you can't deny he was an exciting player to watch when he did play. It was not surprising to see him enter the portal at the end of the season.
He is returning to Massachusetts and will play at UMass, a program in desperate need of a player like Watson to come and help save the program. He will be remembered for his performance Thanksgiving Weekend in 2024 when he led the Hokies over Virginia to reach bowl-eligibility. Again, he probably should have gotten more time than he did in Blacksburg.