Since he was hired at Virginia Tech, James Franklin has hit the ground running in terms of everything with the job. As soon as he was hired, he put together a staff and began roster-building for 2026 and beyond.
Between flipped recruits from Penn State to Virginia Tech, Franklin got some key retention from the Hokies 2025 roster. Yes, there was talent there that needed to be retained, along with the influx of talent from outside the organization.
As expected, Franklin was busy with the Transfer Portal, and when it opened, he knew who he needed to target. He did that and ended up adding 27 new players from the portal. Some key players were added who are going to step right in and make major impacts for the Hokies. Now that the dust has settled, 247Sports released their final Transfer Portal rankings, and for Franklin and Virginia Tech, there is no reason to be alarmed.
There is no need to be alarmed for Virginia Tech football's final Transfer Portal ranking
According to 247Sports final Transfer Portal rankings, Virginia Tech came in at No. 27 overall, while No. 4 in the ACC. Honestly, the Transfer Portal has become very big in college sports, but given the talent added by Franklin to the Hokies, there really is no cause for concern.
The roster from the previous staff wasn't left dry by any means. Franklin and his new staff, which, yes, includes Brent Pry as the defensive coordinator, were able to retain some of the players they needed to. Wide receiver Ayden Greene was one of the top players retained, along with running backs Marcellous Hawkins and Jeffrey Overton, Jr.
As for talent coming from the portal, quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer and tight end Luke Reynolds came over from Penn State to headline a class that should make a major impact next season. The Transfer Portal is a big part of college football, and it is here to stay with NIL. Virginia Tech is perfectly fine going into 2026 in Franklin's first year, regardless of what the portal ranking tells us.
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