The 2026 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night in Pittsburgh and will last through Saturday afternoon. Last year was a busy draft for Virginia Tech players after a quiet 2024 draft. Some of the Hokies selected last year in Green Bay made an impact in the 2025 season for some of their teams.
This year, it wouldn't be surprising if it is another quiet NFL Draft for Virginia Tech players, who will likely watch cornerback Mansoor Delane, who played at LSU in 2026, hear his name called in the first round on Thursday night. As for current and former Hokies, here are some who could have their name called in the later rounds, before having a chance at a free-agent signing shortly after the draft finishes.
Terion Stewart
It remains to be seen what the chances are that running back Terion Stewart gets drafted before late Saturday afternoon, but without a doubt, there is a team that will take a chance on him as an undrafted free agent if he goes undrafted.
Stewart spent one season in Blacksburg after coming over from Bowling Green, and he dealt with injuries, which was a shame. When he was healthy, he showed his ability to burst through the line of scrimmage and be a tough back for defenders to bring down. He reminds a lot of people of Bhayshul Tuten, minus the open field speed. He is certainly someone that a team would take a chance on.
Tomas Rimac
Offensive lineman Tomas Rimac played one season in Blacksburg, like Swewart, as he followed Matt Moore to Virginia Tech from West Virginia. He is going to be a household name for a lot of people, but he could be a pick that becomes an underrated one or even an underrated undrafted free agent signing.
He was a prototypical Matt Moore lineman, not going to be flashy and make a big name for himself, but certainly does what he needs to do to open holes for the run game. In the right system, he could be a nice backup player who can play some downs. Out of all of the players in Blacksburg last season, it wouldn't be surprising if Rimac's name is called in later rounds.
Kelvin Gilliam
Oklahoma transfer Kelvin Gilliam was a big presence at defensive tackle for the Hokies in 2025 and registered 34 tackles. He had a good Virginia Tech Pro Day and would be an intriguing player if someone took a chance on him. Some teams have expressed interest in Gilliam, and he is someone who will certainly get an undrafted free agent deal if his name isn't called.
Kyron Drones
On this list, the most fascinating name on the list is quarterback Kyron Drones. It wouldn't be surprising to see him make a position change at the next level to a positional player. His time at Virginia Tech took a step back as the season passed, but the dual-threat QB could be used by NFL teams in a couple of different positions.
Drones ran the ball a lot more than he threw it in 2026, and he is someone who could be used in the wildcat or gimmick plays, given his body and ability to run over defenders and being tough to bring down. It will be interesting to see what teams have in terms of how to use Drones should a team grab him.
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