When the Virginia Tech football team saw its frustrating 2025 season come to an end at 3-9 with a 27-7 loss to Virginia in Charlottesville last November, it brought an end to Kyron Drones' tenure in Blacksburg. It also officially began the James Franklin era after he was hired 12 days earlier as Brent Pry's replacement.
You knew that when Franklin took over, change was coming for the Hokies in several areas. One of those areas was going to be with the Transfer Portal. There was some key retention from the 2025 roster, but truth be told, change needed to come from the portal. One position that needed an upgrade and an immediate addition was at quarterback.
Franklin ended up turning to a familiar face to pluck from the portal, Ethan Grunkemeyer from Penn State. It was a no-brainer addition for the first-year Hokies coach as new quarterbacks coach Danny O'Brien and Franklin recruited Grunkemeyer to State College. Following Franklin after he got fired to Virginia Tech was an easy decision for the sophomore signal caller.
ESPN ranked the Top 100 newcomers for the 2026 season and Grunkemeyer came in rather low.
ESPN has curious ranking for Virginia Tech transfer QB Ethan Grunkemeyer
Billy Tucker of ESPN ranked the Top 100 newcomers for the 2026 campaign, and Grunkemeyer came in at No. 37. That feels a bit low considering the upgrade that the Hokies are getting and the improvement it is at the quarterback position for Virginia Tech.
That's nothing against Drones, who is currently with the Green Bay Packers in the NFL, but he has his limitations, and honestly, the talent and coaching around Grunkemeyer are better than what Drones had in Blacksburg. However, he should still be an upgrade over what the Hokies have had under center.
Last season, Grunkemeyer replaced the injured Drew Allar and completed nearly 70% of his passes and threw for eight touchdowns against Power 4 conference opponents. Having tight end Luke Reynolds transfer with him to Blacksburg will help, according to Tucker.
"Though he might not possess elite upside, he brings efficiency, accuracy, and experience in structured passing concepts. With additional portal help around him, including tight endLuke Reynolds, and competition from Bryce Baker and SC Next 300 quarterback Troy Huhn, Grunkemeyer projects as a dependable, turnover-conscious quarterback capable of stabilizing the offense,'' Tucker wrote.
Grunkemeyer is a huge upgrade for Virginia Tech at quarterback and should solidify the position. The experience he got last year after Allar went down with an injury is going to be huge for Franklin, O'Brien, and the Hokies. He'll have more playmakers within the offense between his wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs. He doesn't have the scramble mobility that Drones had, but his ability to throw the ball around the field is going to be vital for first-year offensive coordinator Ty Howle.
"After years of inconsistent quarterback play in Blacksburg, he arrives as a steadying presence for a retooled offense,'' added Tucker.
There is nowhere to go but up for the Virginia Tech offense in 2026, but ranking Grunkemeyer as the 37th best transfer and the impact he could make feels like he's too low.
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