James Franklin wasn't able to get into the final group for blue-chip pass rusher Javion Hilson last year while he was at Penn State, but when Hilson entered the transfer portal, Franklin got a second shot at him with Virginia Tech and this time he didn't miss.
Hilson, who was one of the top players in the 2025 class, committed to the Hokies on Tuesday, giving Franklin a young, explosive player on the edge that has major NFL upside and the ability to dominate the ACC for the next few years.
BREAKING: Missouri true freshman transfer EDGE Javion Hilson has Committed to Virginia Tech, he tells @On3Sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 6, 2026
The 6’5 250 EDGE will have 4 years of eligibility left
He was ranked as a Top 55 Recruit in the 2025 Class (per On3 Industry)https://t.co/RlUbB6EMhS pic.twitter.com/AatwtnEblZ
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound prospect from Cocoa, Florida, appeared in three games with Missouri last season and played 31 snaps, allowing him to preserve his redshirt. It's almost safe to look at Hilson as a part of the 2026 recruiting class that simply had a one-year apprenticeship with a college program.
Hilson is an unproven prospect, but the upside is so good, and he has four years of eligibility remaining, which gives the Hokies staff time to develop his skill set and get him into their strength and conditioning program.
Franklin is building a strong portal class
After putting together a top-25 recruiting class in about a month, Franklin quickly turned his attention to adding experience and production through the transfer portal, and he's having plenty of success there.
It made sense for Franklin to tap into a familiar place, and he has added three players from the 2025 Penn State roster — tight end Matt Henderson, wide receiver Jeff Exinor Jr. and edge rusher Daniel Jennings, each of whom have mutliple years of eligibility remaining. And there could be more to come as quarterback Ethan Grunkermeyer is being linked to the Hokies.
When does the transfer portal window close?
The transfer portal window opened on January 2 and will close on January 16. Unlike previous seasons, there is just one transfer window and the spring portal window has been eliminated. Currently, the Hokies have eight commitments through the transfer portal with several more expected in the next week.