Everything changed on November 17. When James Franklin stepped off that plane in Blacksburg to take over for Brent Pry, Virginia Tech’s 2026 class was, frankly, a mess. We’re talking triple-digit national rankings. It was a skeleton crew of nine or ten commits and a lot of "we’ll see" vibes.
Fast forward a few weeks. The Hokies aren't just relevant; they’re actually dangerous.
The December Flip That Saved the Class
You can't talk about vt football recruiting news without mentioning "The Flip." Honestly, it felt like Franklin just brought the Penn State commit list with him and started checking boxes.
Take Terry Wiggins. He’s a consensus four-star linebacker from Coatesville, PA. Most experts had him locked in for Happy Valley. Then Franklin moves, and suddenly Wiggins is rocking Maroon and Orange. He’s 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, and plays with the kind of nastiness that Bud Foster would’ve loved. He is the crown jewel of this defensive class.
Then there’s Messiah Mickens.
He is the first unanimous four-star running back the Hokies have signed since David Wilson back in 2009. Think about that for a second. That is a massive gap in elite talent at a position that used to define Virginia Tech football. Mickens isn't just a "fast guy." He’s 210 pounds of problem for ACC linebackers. He followed Franklin from Penn State, too.
The momentum didn't stop with the out-of-state flips. Franklin realized pretty quickly that he had to stop the bleeding inside the Commonwealth. Thomas Wilder, a massive 6-foot-7 tackle from Green Run, had actually decommitted when Pry was let go. It looked like he was headed to Maryland or UNC. Franklin got him back on campus for an official visit, and now he’s signed. Keeping the best players in Virginia Beach is basically the only way this program survives long-term.
👉 See also: Why the 2025 NFL Draft Class is a Total Headache for Scouts
Why the O-Line Overhaul is Different This Time
We've seen coaches try to "fix" the offensive line before. Usually, it's a couple of grad transfers and a prayer. This is different.
The Hokies signed seven high school offensive linemen in the 2026 cycle.
- Thomas Wilder (the local hero)
- Roseby "Purgatory" Lubintus (6-foot-5, 330 lbs)
- Marlen Bright
- Tyrell Simpson
- Maddox Cochrane
- Buddy Wegdam
- Benjamin Eziuka
That's a lot of beef. But Franklin didn't stop at high school kids who won't be ready until 2028. He hit the portal like his life depended on it. Just this week, Justin Terry committed. He’s an Ohio State transfer tackle with three years of eligibility left. He joins Logan Howland (Oklahoma), Michael Troutman III (Penn State), and Justin Bell (Michigan State).
Basically, the Hokies just imported a brand-new Power 4 starting line in one month. It’s aggressive. Some might say it’s risky because of chemistry, but when you’re coming off a season where pass protection was a suggestion rather than a rule, you take the talent.
The Quarterback Room: Troy Huhn and the California Connection
One of the weirder pieces of vt football recruiting news was the 2,400-mile flight of Troy Huhn. He’s a four-star QB from Carlsbad, California. Usually, Tech doesn't win those battles against West Coast schools.
✨ Don't miss: Liverpool FC Chelsea FC: Why This Grudge Match Still Hits Different
Huhn is 6-foot-4, has a cannon, and he’s already enrolled. Getting him in for spring practice is huge because it puts pressure on the guys already there. With Bryce Baker (UNC transfer) and Ethan Grunkemeyer (Penn State transfer) also joining the room, the days of having zero depth at QB are officially over.
The Transfer Portal Gold Mine (and a few Heartbreaks)
It hasn't been all sunshine. Kamauryn Morgan, the Baylor edge rusher who looked like a lock, decommitted on January 16. It hurts because the Hokies really need pass-rush help, but they countered almost immediately by landing Curtis Jones Jr. from West Virginia.
Jones is an interesting cat. He’s 6-foot-4, 226 pounds, and was a special teams demon at WVU before flashing some real potential as a sophomore. He might not have the "star" power of Morgan, but he’s a high-motor guy who fits the scheme.
Here is the reality of the 2026 transfer class:
- Receivers: They landed Tyseer Denmark and Jeff Exinor from Penn State. These are high-pedigree guys who just needed a fresh start.
- Secondary: Cam Chadwick (UConn) and Jaquez White (Troy) bring veteran snaps to a room that lost some bodies to the portal.
- Tight End: Luke Reynolds was a former five-star prospect. Landing him from Penn State might be the biggest "steal" of the entire cycle.
Is This Class Actually Good?
The 247Sports Composite has Virginia Tech at No. 23. To put that in perspective, they were ranked No. 124 when Franklin took the job in mid-November. That is a jump of over 100 spots in roughly 20 days.
🔗 Read more: NFL Football Teams in Order: Why Most Fans Get the Hierarchy Wrong
Is it perfect? No.
The decommitments of guys like Cole Bergeron and the uncertainty around some of the defensive line targets show that there’s still work to do. But for the first time in a decade, the Hokies are winning "national" battles. They aren't just fighting Old Dominion for recruits; they’re taking guys from Penn State, Ohio State, and Oklahoma.
What Happens Next
The January transfer window is slamming shut. If you're following vt football recruiting news, you need to watch the "Early Enrollees" list.
Eighteen of these 2026 signees are already on campus. That includes Davion "FatRat" Brown, the electric receiver from Richmond who could realistically start on Day 1. Getting these guys into the strength and conditioning program now is the difference between a 6-6 season and a 9-3 season in 2026.
Keep an eye on the linebacker rotation during spring ball. With Terry Wiggins and Mathieu Lamah on campus, the competition is going to be brutal. That's exactly what Franklin wants. He didn't come here to play nice; he came to rebuild the roster from the studs up.
Actionable Insights for Hokie Fans:
- Watch the Spring Game: Focus on the offensive line combinations. With four portal tackles and seven freshmen, the coaching staff is going to be experimenting constantly.
- Track the 2027 In-State Offers: Franklin has already re-offered top-tier guys like Elijah Haven (QB). The "Build the Fence" strategy is being replaced by a "Build the Wall" strategy that is much more aggressive.
- Monitor the 105-Roster Limit: With the new NCAA rules, Tech is hovering right near that cap. Expect a few more "processed" departures in late spring as the staff makes room for the final pieces of this 2026 class.