When the transfer portal opened over the winter, the Virginia Tech football team saw several key players on both sides of the ball enter the portal. There were some giant losses as some players chose to continue their college careers at other schools rather than head for the NFL.
One player who left Blacksburg for greener pastures was offensive lineman Xavier Chaplin. He was one of Brent Pry's most reliable offensive linemen, and his departure leaves a huge opening for a Hokies team that has to replace its whole offensive line from last season under first-year coach Matt Moore.
Chaplin made the jump from Virginia Tech to Auburn in the SEC, and what an addition he will be for the Tigers this upcoming season. One Auburn coach spoke about Chaplin, and what he had to say will open some eyes with Hokies' fans and frustrate them even more.
Auburn coach fawning over Xavier Chaplin will frustrate Virginia Tech fans
"When you see this kid in person, it's like Laremy Tunsil," an Auburn source said. "He's a freak. He's not as wide as Laremy but you're talking about the same body mass ratio and all. He's a legit NFL tackle. For sure. He's the best-looking offensive lineman that's walked through our doors in the last three years. He's legit and a stud."
That is quite the comparison, Laremy Tunsil. Virginia Tech fans know how good Chaplin is and can be, and his loss is one of many big ones. Chaplin was an All-American in 2023 and an honorable mention All-ACC selection last year before entering the portal. It's not surprising to see Chaplin get this much buzz ahead of camp later this summer, but he also will open eyes among NFL scouts ahead of the NFL Draft. Virginia Tech's loss is Auburn's gain.