This page lists all Virginia Tech scholarship football players from the 2020 season-opening roster, the 2021 recruiting class signees, and their status and projections for the 2021 season.
Note that this is not intended to be a complete, accurate, up to date roster or depth chart.
Players are sorted by position and are listed by number, name, 2021 class (all players got a free year in 2020, so their 2021 class is the same as their 2020 class), and status.
All players who are marked out have announced that they are not returning for the 2021 season. Just because a player isn’t marked out does not mean that he is returning. It just means that he hasn’t made an announcement. For seniors who have not made an announcement, we have noted whether or not they chose to participate in Senior Day ceremonies before the UVA game.
For some members of the 2021 recruiting class, we had to simply guess what position they will play.
Also, note that walk-ons are not included.
Recent updates:
- 1/5/2021 – OG Lecitus Smith will return for 2021.
- 1/6/2021 – DT Dashawn Crawford will return for 2021.
- 1/7/2021- QB Hendon Hooker announced he’ll transfer to Tennessee.
- 1/12/2021 – DT Jordan Williams transfers from Clemson to Virginia Tech.
- 1/13/2021 – QB/ATH Connor Blumrick transfers from Texas A&M to Virginia Tech.
- 1/18/2021 – OL Brock Hoffman will return for 2021, OL Austin Cannon will not return in 2021.
- 1/20/2021 – WR Evan Fairs enters the transfer portal.
- 1/21/2021 – Added DT Jaden Cunningham to returning players list.
- 2/2/2021 – various minor status updates
- 2/3/2021 – Fuente confirmed that several seniors would be returning for 2021. Our list is updated to reflect that.
- 2/4/2021 – Zion Debose enters the transfer portal.
- 3/17/2021 – DT Maxx Philpott earns a scholarship.
- 3/25/2021 – LB C.J. McCray transfers from Marshall to Virginia Tech, will arrive summer 2021.
- 4/19/2021 – DB Tyree Rodgers in the transfer portal
- 5/6/2021 – WR Tyree Saunders enters the transfer portal.
- 5/14/2021 – DT DaShawn Crawford enters the transfer portal.
- 5/22/2021 – DL Justin Beadles enters the transfer portal.
- 6/9/2021 – RB Terius Wheatley entered the transfer portal in April (we had missed this).
- 6/23/2021 – Updated numbers, various personnel updates
- 7/12/2021 – Robert Wooten and Alec Bryant enter the transfer portal
Virginia Tech Football Roster 2021 Status and Projection
Quarterbacks
3 Braxton Burmeister rJr. –
4 Connor Blumrick rJr. – transfer from Texas A&M
12 Knox Kadum rFr. –
15 Tahj Bullock – Summer enrollee
2 Hendon Hooker rJr. – Transferring to Tennessee
4 Quincy Patterson II rSo. – Transferred out to North Dakota State
Running Backs
0 Jalen Holston rJr. –
6 Raheem Blackshear rJr. – will return in 2021
7 Marco Lee Jr. –
23 Keshawn King So. –
24 Malachi Thomas – Summer enrollee
26 Jordan Brunson Fr. –
27 Kenji Christian – Summer enrollee
28 Chance Black – Summer enrollee
32 Tahj Gary rFr. –
36 Jalen Hampton Fr. –
21 Khalil Herbert Gr. – Declared for the NFL Draft
24 Terius Wheatley rJr. – entered the transfer portal
Offensive Linemen
54 Lecitus Smith rJr. – will return in 2021
55 Johnny Jordan, Sr. – grad transfer from Maryland
60 Silas Dzansi rJr. –
64 Bryce Goodner – Summer enrollee
66 Jack Hollifield – January enrollee
68 Kaden Moore Fr. –
69 Luke Tenuta rSo. –
70 Parker Clements Fr. –
71 Danijel Miletic – January enrollee
72 Jesse Hanson rFr. –
76 Brock Hoffman rJr. – will return for 2021
77 Derrell Bailey Jr., Fr.- moved to OL from DL
79 Tyrell Smith Gr. – participated in Senior Day ceremonies, but will play in 2021
Bob Schick – Summer enrollee
52 Austin Cannon rSr. – will *not* return in 2021
58 Walker Culver rSo. – retired from football due to injuries
61 Bryan Hudson So. – transferred to Louisville
71 T.J. Jackson rSr. – transferred to Ohio
74 Doug Nester So. – transferred to West Virginia
75 Zachariah Hoyt rSr. – participated in Senior Day ceremonies, done with football
77 Christian Darrisaw Jr. – declared for the NFL Draft
Tight Ends
82 James Mitchell Jr. – Mitchell announced that he would return to VT for 2021.
86 Nick Gallo So. –
89 Drake DeIuliis rJr. –
91 Wilfried Pene Fr. –
90 Jared Gibble – January enrollee
Wide Receivers
9 Tayvion Robinson So. –
11 Tré Turner Jr. –
13 Changa Hodge Sr. – will return for 2021 season
14 Jaden Payoute rFr. –
18 Da’Wain Lofton – January enrollee
35 Keli Lawson – Summer enrollee
80 Kaleb Smith rSo. –
81 Dallan Wright Fr. –
83 DJ Sims – Summer enrollee
85 Christian Moss – Summer enrollee
88 Jaylen Jones – January enrollee
14 Evan Fairs Gr. – entered the transfer portal
16 Darryle Simmons rSo. – entered the transfer portal
87 Tyree Saunders Fr. – entered the transfer portal
88 Elijah Bowick rFr. – entered the transfer portal, transferred to North Carolina A&T
Defensive Linemen
3 Norell Pollard So. –
6 Josh Fuga rFr. –
8 Emmanuel Belmar rSr. – will return for 2021
11 Amaré Barno rJr. –
22 Mario Kendricks So. –
41 Jaylen Griffin rJr. –
45 TyJuan Garbutt rJr. –
46 Eli Adams rSo. –
59 Jordan Williams rJr. – Transfer from Clemson
90 Mattheus Carroll – Summer enrollee
92 Jaden Cunningham rJr. –
93 Cole Nelson – Summer enrollee
95 Desmond Mamudi – Summer enrollee
99 Maxx Philpott r-Fr. – Philpott earned a scholarship in March, 2021.
5 Jarrod Hewitt rSr. – declared for the NFL Draft
9 Justus Reed Gr. – declared for the NFL Draft
13 Zion Debose rJr. – entered the transfer portal; transferred to Buffalo; transferred to Kansas instead
36 DaShawn Crawford Sr. – entered the transfer portal – transferred to Southern Miss
51 Robert Wooten Fr. – entered the transfer portal
98 Alec Bryant Fr. – entered the transfer portal
56 Justin Beadles Fr. – entered the transfer portal, transferred to Houston
Linebackers
4 Dax Hollifield Jr. –
15 Keshon Artis rSo. –
34 Alan Tisdale rSo. –
42 Lakeem Rudolph Fr. – moved from S to LB
47 Dean Ferguson rFr. –
53 Will Johnson – Summer enrollee
54 Jaden Keller – Summer enrollee
57 C.J. McCray Fr. – transfer from Marshall
58 Da’Shawn Elder – January enrollee
23 Rayshard Ashby Sr. – declared for the NFL Draft
Isi Etute – January enrollee, charged with 2nd degree murder, no longer listed on the online roster
Defensive Backs
1 Chamarri Conner Jr. –
2 Jermaine Waller Jr. –
7 Devon Hunter rJr. – Reinstated to the team this summer
13 Ny’Quee Hawkins rFr. –
17 Tae Daley, Sr. – Grad transfer from Vanderbilt
19 J.R. Walker rFr. –
20 DJ Harvey – Summer enrollee
21 Nadir Thompson rSo. –
24 Devin Taylor rSr. – will return for 2021
26 Jalen Stroman – January enrollee
27 Armani Chatman rSo. –
29 Nyke Johnson – January enrollee
31 Nasir Peoples rSo. –
33 Keonta Jenkins Fr. –
35 Elijah Howard – Summer enrollee
37 Brion Murray Jr. –
38 Jayden McDonald – Summer enrollee
39 Jorden McDonald – Summer enrollee
40 Jalen Hoyle – January enrollee
44 Dorian Strong Fr. –
17 Divine Deablo rSr. – declared for the NFL Draft
18 Tyree Rodgers rSr. – entered the transfer portal
Placekickers*
93 Brian Johnson rSr. – will not return in 2021
83 Kyle Lowe –
86 Zach Hoban –
88 Will Ross – transfer from South Carolina
92 Mark Applegate –
96 John Parker Romo Sr. – will return for 2021 season
Punters*
85 Peter Moore –
91 Oscar Bradburn Sr. – will not return in 2021
*Note: Scholarship status for punters and kickers is unknown, so we decided to list all players included on Virginia Tech’s online roster. Most are not on scholarship.
About TechSideline.com
TechSideline.com has covered Virginia Tech football since 1996. For past schedules and past coverage, please see our Past VT Football Seasons page.
TechSideline.com’s mission is simple: we provide news, coverage and commentary on Virginia Tech athletics. We are an independent publication, not affiliated with the university or its athletic programs. We provide a unique perspective that appeals to the large and growing fan base of Virginia Tech athletics. TechSideline.com operates as a fully-staffed, full-time business. TechSideline.com is not a “hobby” site or a “blog” — it’s a serious endeavor, dedicated to bringing great coverage and insight to our readers.
TechSideline was launched on March 12, 1996 by 1987 Tech graduate (BSEE) Will Stewart as a small, personal web page. In 1997, the site evolved into HokieCentral.com, and in August of 1999, joined the SportsWar network of college sports web sites. In November of 2000, the site changed names to TechSideline.com, or TSL.
Over the years, TSL grew into what you see before you: a full-time Virginia Tech sports web site, complete with news, game analysis, links, special features, and the ubiquitous message boards.
For more information about TechSideline.com, please see our About page. There you will find a listing of our staff and links to our social media accounts.
