Anonymous Coaches Share Their Thoughts on Kyron Drones
Kyron Drones has received some heavy praise throughout the offseason, as he prepares for his first full season as the primary quarterback at Virginia Tech. He was great statistically last year, and propelled himself into the upper tier of ACC quarterbacks.
Drones lead the Hokies with his arm, as well as his legs. He finished the season with 2,085 yards passing, and 818 rushing yards. Drones was one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the ACC, and with a full season of production, he could touch on 4,000 yards in total.
According to Brad Crawford of 247Sports, Drones will be the fifth-best quarterback heading into the 2024 season. Crawford only listed Haynes King (Georgia Tech), Grayson McCall (NC State), DJ Uiagalelei (Florida State), and Cam Ward (Miami) higher than Drones.
Drones is a nightmare to game-plan against on defense. If a receiver has a singular step, Drones can find him and step up in the pocket. He's extremely athletic and can surely outrun any team's starting four. There's a lot to handle as a defensive coach, and is a part of the reason Virginia Tech could upset Miami and Clemson this season.
Adam Rittenberg of ESPN spoke anonymously with some defensive coaches on Kyron Drones, and how you can stop him.
When asked about Drones, one ACC defensive coordinator anonymously said, "He's going to catch your attention beacuse he can run the football," another ACC coach added, "He really came at the end of the year and played well."
Rittenburg spoke to Brent Pry as well, and he obviously had high praise for his quarterback. Here's what Pry had to say:
"He's more competitive with some of those tight-window throws. He's putting the ball where it needs to be more often. He's trying to move coverages and move guys and do some things that, maybe as a first-year starter, he didn't think about or we didn't ask him to do. And he's continuing to become the leader that he can be."
Drones is not a perfect quarterback, but he's certainly an elite one. He should be a lot to handle for ACC teams this year and will be a big reason why Virginia Tech succeeds in the conference.
RJ SCHAFER
RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.