We are seven days away from the Transfer Portal officially opening for college football. So far, it has been rather quiet in terms of players from Virginia Tech. Backup quarterback Garret Rangel, who came over last year from Oklahoma State, is reportedly entering the portal.
Kyron Drones started the 2025 season and used up all of his eligibility, and with Rangel leaving, that is going to leave a thin quarterback room for 2026. It got even thinner on Friday afternoon when Pete Thamel of ESPN reported that fan-favorite Pop Watson is going to enter the portal when it officially opens on Jan. 2.
Pop Watson leaving creates another opening in Hokies QB room
Not with Drones, Rangel, and Watson gone, it just leaves true freshmen A.J. Brand and Kelden Ryan on the roster for now. Only Drones and Watson took snaps this season. It was a given that new coach James Franklin was going to need to hit the portal for a quarterback for next season, but now he might be looking for multiple signal callers.
Franklin did flip four-star Class of 2026 quarterback Troy Huhn to Virginia Tech from Penn State, but Watson's leaving means there is no experience coming back. It just makes it all the more important that Franklin finds a signal caller with experience for next season.
Watson completed two of his four passes this season, including a perfectly thrown 39-yard pass to Ayden Greene against Miami that led to a Watson touchdown run on Nov. 22. Watson's best work was done in 2024 when he split time with Collin Schlee when Drones was lost for the season. After Schlee went down the weekend before Thanksgiving against Duke, Watson led the Hokies to a 37-17 blowout of Virginia in the Commonwealth Cup to clinch bowl eligibility for Virginia Tech.
Against the Cavaliers, Watson was 14-for-21 for 254 yards, one touchdown, while rushing for 48 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown. He should have gotten more reps in Blacksburg, but it wasn't because he couldn't do it. He will land in a position with the chance to be a starter in 2026.