In the 2024 NFL Draft, there were a handful of former Virginia Tech players selected, and some are making impacts in 2025 in their rookie seasons. Wide receiver/punt returned Jaylin Lane was picked by the Washington Commanders and is opening some eyes, returning two punts already for touchdowns. The latest was in Sunday's win over the New York Giants.
Running back Bhayshul Tuten was picked by the Jacksonville Jaguars and scored his sixth touchdown of the season in Jacksonville's rout of the New York Jets on Sunday in Northern Florida.
As far as the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh goes, it remains to be seen if any Hokies from the 2025 roster will be drafted. However, the latest NFL mock draft from ESPN will drive Virginia Tech fans crazy when they see who is predicted to be a Top 15 pick.
Former Virginia Tech CB Mansoor Delane predicted to be a high first-round pick in 2026 NFL Draft
Field Yates of ESPN released his 2026 first-round mock draft predictions, and he had former Virginia Tech cornerback Mansoor Delane going to the Minnesota Vikings with the 11th overall pick. Now there is a lot of time before the draft rolls around in April, but seeing Delane as a Top 15 pick will drive Hokies' fans crazy about what could have been.
"A notable need for the Vikings is cornerback, where the team is lacking depth behind Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers. Enter Delane, who took his game to another level after transferring from Virginia Tech before this season. He has excellent size for the position (6-foot, 190 pounds) and thrives using force at the catch point to disrupt the ball. Delane is at his best playing off coverage and reading the quarterback, though he is also a willing run defender who could thrive in Brian Flores' aggressive system. When targeted as the primary coverage player this season, he surrendered the third-lowest completion percentage in the FBS (27.8%),'' Yates wrote.
Delane was part of the mass exodus out of Blacksburg last December in the winter Transfer Portal and ended up at LSU. Former head coach Brent Pry had done a tremendous job retaining players following the 2023 season, and expectations were high for 2024, but a second straight 6-6 season led to some good players hitting the portal, including Delane.
The 2025 season was a disaster from the beginning for Virginia Tech. They started 0-3, Pry was fired after a Week 3 loss at home to Old Dominion, and they finished 3-9. There is no telling how the season would have turned out if they had gotten more retention like the previous season, but losing NFL-caliber players didn't help the cause. There is no doubt that Delane will be playing on Sundays for a long time.