Virginia Tech 2024 Position Preview Series, Offensive Line: Virginia Tech Bolsters Offensive Line in Portal
Ron Crook enters his second season as the offensive line coach at Virginia Tech, with his first year being a big success. Crook’s offensive line led the Virginia Tech Hokies to a top 25-ranked rushing offense in the country in 2023. There is an absolute overload of talent for Ron Crook to work with.
As we’ve talked about in the past, Virginia Tech has returned all five of their offensive linemen starters from last year. Parker Clements, Bob Schick, Kaden Moore, Braelin Moore, and Xavier Chaplin all returned. It goes without saying, but it is important to say it: the culture that Brent Pry has created at Virginia Tech is unbeatable. It seems like players barely transfer out, players always come back ready to play, and the environment in the locker room has to be great. Not very many teams at the FBS level returned their full offensive line this year.
Virginia Tech did even more than that, Brent Pry went out and got transfer Montavious Cunningham from Georgia State. Montavious Cunningham will immediately start for the Hokies, and will likely send Bob Schick to a bench/rotational role, while Cunningham will receive starts at right guard.
Cunningham was very valuable to the Panthers last year, according to his bio via Virginia Tech Athletics:
“Started at right tackle during each of his 11 games played … Logged 743 snaps, allowing two sacks … Earned a 69.0 season grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF), including a 73.8 pass block grade and a 66.7 run block grade … Received a grade of 62.4 from PFF for his performance at No. 15 LSU, allowing two hurries yet no quarterback hits/sacks … Helped block for 400-plus yards of total offense on four occasions: against Rhode Island (424 – Aug. 31), at Charlotte (568 – Sept. 16), against Marshall (474 – Oct. 14) and at Georgia Southern (447 – Oct. 26) … Contributed to four 200-yard team rushing games: against Rhode Island (231 – Aug. 31), against Connecticut (250 – Sept. 9), against Marshall (240 – Oct. 14) and at Georgia Southern (290 – Oct. 26).”
Despite playing at the right tackle position, Cunningham will slot well at guard on this offense. In the spring, here’s what head coach Brent Pry had to say about Cunningham’s transition to guard:
“Let me tell ya, he’s really athletic. Some of his traits align with a defensive tackle, as well as he moves, and foot speed, and he’s got great size. But, he is still learning the position, a lot of his time was spent at tackle, and he’s working really at guard for us right now, so there’s a little bit of a learning curve there. But, he’s really made some good progress, particularly in the last four or five practices.”
The talent at the offensive line that was already on the team is undeniable, and there’s depth at the position too. Before we get into the starters, one player I want to highlight is the redshirt freshman, Layth Ghannam. All throughout spring, Brent Pry had put a spotlight on Ghannam. He was a player that Pry described as athletic, and somebody who could compete for a spot in the spring. At 6-foot-5 and 287 pounds, Ghannam probably fits as a tackle first, and guard second, but he did play both in the spring and was in the mix for both conversations. Layth was a beast in high school, rated as the #1 prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, according to 247Sports. Ghannam was also the fifth highest-rated recruit in Virginia Tech’s 2023 class on 247Sports. Ghannam may not start for the Hokies, but will definitely find himself some playing time as coach Brent Pry seems to be very excited about what they have found in Layth Ghannam.
Starting at right tackle, one of the anchors of this offense is Parker Clements. Virginia Tech struck gold with Parker Clements at right tackle. Admittedly, he was looked at as a player to take a flier on. He was one of the lowest-rated recruits in Virginia Tech's 2020 recruiting class, but he has completely outshined expectations.
Clements first saw action in 2021, and it has been uphill ever since. Clements started all of VT's 13 games last season, all of which he played at tackle. He let up only three sacks in 830 snaps and has been a cornerstone in Tech's offensive line. If the offensive line wants to return to its level of production from last year, it all starts with Parker Clements staying reliable on the edge.
Bob Schick, the 6-foot-6 guard who started in all 13 games last season, might see a different role in 2024. Schick, a player who has moved up the ranks during his time at Tech, won the competition for starting right guard last year before the season began. Here’s what offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen had to say about Bob Schick’s growth at right guard before last season:
“But Bob (Schick), this is the thing I think people don’t realize with Bob is since he’s been here, he’s kind of been a swing guy. So we’ve played him at right tackle, we played him at left tackle, he’s been left guard, he’s been right guard. So seeing him go through a camp, and really get immersed at right guard, I think his consistency just showed through. You watched him get better a little bit everyday. He’s very cohesive with that group, gels very well, and that ultimately is what won out the job,"
Schick faced plenty of competition at right guard last season but never gave up and he became the everyday starter at right guard for the Hokies. Even if Schick returns to the role he was in before he was a starter, his contributions and hard work will not be forgotten. It’s likely that transfer Montavious Cunningham will take his spot, and Bob will work more as the sixth lineman, filling in if any injury were to happen, and to come in on sets where an extra blocker is needed.
The starter at right guard, before Schick took over the job in 2023, was redshirt senior Kaden Moore. Moore, who started alongside his brother last year, made the move to center after the conclusion of the 2022 season. Kaden Moore was absolutely a diamond in the rough for the Hokies. Moore was in the infamous 2020 recruiting class and committed to play at Virginia Tech in July of 2020, after only receiving one other Division 1 FBS scholarship offer. Moore was a three-star recruit according to 247Sports, and a two-star recruit on Rivals.
Moore was redshirted in the 2020 season but found a way to make an impact during the 2021 season. Moore won the battle for the right guard position, similar to Bob Schick, Moore kept the title as starting right guard throughout the season. He started in all thirteen games and was named to The Athletic’s Freshman All-American Second Team for his efforts that season. Moore also played in eleven games in 2022, starting all of them, but his impact in 2023 was even larger.
Moore, after transitioning to center, opened the conversation about him being the best offensive lineman on the team. Kaden was dominant at the center position and was one of the main reasons the offensive line exploded in 2023. In 857 snaps, Moore only allowed one sack the entire season. Moore had extremely solid exchanges with the quarterbacks all of last season and should remain a very reliable piece on the Hokies’ offensive line. Kaden Moore's stock is certainly on the rise.
Kaden’s brother, Braelin Moore, started alongside Kaden at left guard last year and showed a lot of improvement from his 2022 season. Braelin made four appearances in 2022, his freshman year, but still showed some aspects that needed signs of improvement. Pry claimed that Braelin could be an all-conference lineman, saying this in 2022, “I think he’s got a chance to be an all-conference offensive lineman before he leaves here”, Braelin took that and ran.
He was much better in 2023, starting every game, except one, at left guard alongside his brother. His footwork was much better than last year, and working with Ron Crooks during the season definitely helped Braelin’s progression. Braelin should stay a starter for the rest of his years at Tech, and it is amazing to see such a player progress so quickly and become a starter in only his second year with the program.
Braelin was actually a two-way player in high school, and was originally thought of as somebody that could sneak into getting some playing time on the defensive line for the Virginia Tech Hokies. After some deliberation and other decisions being made, Brent Pry shut down the idea of Braelin getting significant time on the defensive line, and ensuring that Braelin will stay on the offensive line for the foreseeable future.
Here’s what Brent Pry had to say on Braelin’s move to a full-time offensive lineman:
“It was just about Braelin and his skill set and what he did well and what he didn’t do well enough. He’s never going to run enough to make enough plays on the perimeter to be a guy that is an all-conference (on defense). You’re always going to want to run better. But on the offensive line, he runs great.”
Ironically, the last starter on the offensive line, Xavier Chaplin, was also a player who played both ways in high school. Chaplin was a three-star recruit out of Whale Branch High School in Seabrook, South Carolina. Chaplin chose the Hokies over Michigan, Louisville, and Georgia State. Here’s a summary of Chaplin’s high school career, per his bio at Virginia Tech Athletics:
“Played tackle and defensive tackle for head coach Jerry Hatcher at Whale Branch Early College High School in Seabrook, South Carolina … Whale Branch went 8-2 during the fall 2021 season … Recorded 55 tackles, including 12.0 TFL and 5.0 sacks in 2021 … As a junior in 2020, Chaplin helped Whale Branch to an 8-3 season … Recorded 29 tackles with 9.0 TFL and 1.0 sack in 2020 … Ranked as the No. 22 high school player out of the state of South Carolina by 247Sports Composite … 2020 first-team All-Lowco defensive lineman … Also wrestled for Whale Branch.”
Chaplin would serve some time at Virginia Tech in his freshman year, logging 27 snaps throughout the season, but saw much more action in the 2023 season. Chaplin fought to receive the role as starting left tackle for the Hokies and got that role in 2023. Chaplin started in all thirteen games last year and let up just five sacks the entire year. After the season ended he was named to the College Football News Third Team All-American.
Chaplin led an offensive line that would only give up 1.8 sacks per game last year, a sizable increase over the 3.1 sacks per game that the 2022 Hokies offensive line let up. Chaplin is not the perfect tackle, and there’s definitely room to improve. Chaplin can sometimes get run off by fast edge rushers, but regardless he has stayed solid at the tackle position and is at the helm of what could be a top-10 team in pass protection in 2024.
The depth at the offensive line is very solid too, changing from a unit that was lower-level in the ACC, to one of the ACC’s best in the matter of a couple of years. Over the last two years, Brent Pry has highlighted that there has been an influx of offensive linemen competing to start jobs compared to years prior. The depth is obviously at a much higher level than it was in the past, and the Hokies have a few experienced and reliable guys if one of the starters were to ever go down.
The first one that comes to mind is the reserve, Brody Meadows. Funny enough, Brody was committed to the University of Virginia in high school, but later flipped to Virginia Tech and enrolled in the 2022 season.
Here’s Brody’s high school production, per his bio from Virginia Tech Athletics:
“Played offensive tackle and defensive tackle for head coach Tony Palmer at Graham High School in Bluefield, Virginia … Graham went 13-1 during the fall 2021 season … Named a U.S. Army First-Team All-American … Ranked as the No. 14 high school player in Virginia by 247Sports Composite … Rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports Composite … Had originally committed to Virginia before choosing Virginia Tech.”
Virginia Tech redshirted Brody in his first season in 2022, but he was able to find some production in 2023.
Despite only starting in one game, Meadows actually played in all 13 games for the Hokies last year. When Braelin Moore was out via injury against Pitt, that’s when Meadows got his first start. Brent Pry was thrilled with Meadows’ production and said, “I think we’re building depth there with Brody. He’s played a lot of snaps this season and we feel more and more comfortable. He can go in at tackle, he can go in at guard. We’re still trying to build depth at center right now, but Brody certainly, and it’s a credit to him, he’s learned all those spots but center and he’s getting better all the time.” This shows that Meadows is another one of the key depth players for Pry, and will likely be in a backup role against this season, but similar to Bob Schick, could become a very reliable plug-and-play guy for the Hokies' offensive line.
Admittedly, the Hokies probably have more immediate playable depth at guard rather than center or tackle, the evidence being that most of the players who would fill in to play tackle in the result of an injury, are all players who are looked at as primarily a guard instead of a true offensive tackle.
A other player who could see some action before they’re projected to do so is redshirt freshman Lance Williams. Williams was a three-star recruit out of high school, and was the 95th best interior offensive lineman in his class, according to the 247Sports Composite.
Lance was a beast in high school coming out of Tennessee. He only gave up one total sack in all four years in varsity at Alcoa High School. He was the Tennessee Titans 3A Mr. Football in his senior year, had all-state honors for three years, and helped lead his team to four straight TSSAA 3A state championships with a record of 56-4.
I think Lance has some of the biggest upside out of all of the depth at the offensive line, and could find his way into some games this year, and start to make a large impact during the 2025 season, which would only be his redshirt sophomore year. Listed at 6-foot-3, 310 pounds on the Virginia Tech Athletics website, Williams is an absurdly strong athlete who excels in both run blocking and pass blocking. Would love to see him find some playing time this year, and make his name known around campus.
Williams is certainly someone to look out for.
Johnny Garrett is another play who should find his way into some playing time this year. Garrett played all 13 games last year, but was primarily playing on special teams. Garrett is from Boston College High School (yes- you heard that right) in Scituate, Massachusetts, and was ranked as the 10th best player in the state by the 247Sports Composite.
On Ourlads’s Virginia Tech 2024 depth chart, they have Johnny Garrett listed as the backup right tackle for the Hokies, which seems accurate, as Garrett was the backup tackle behind Parker Clements last year, and it seems like there is no reason for Clements to not reprise that role.
Another player to keep an eye on is redshirt junior Griffin Duggan. He was another three-star offensive lineman out of high school. He was rated as the 48th best player in Virginia by the 247Sports Composite, and was ranked as the 144th best offensive tackle in the country. Griffin didn’t see any game action in his first two years at Tech; redshirted in 2021, and no action in 2022. Duggan saw his first game action during the 2023 season.
Most of his playing time for Brent Pry and the Virginia Tech coaching staff has been on special teams. This doesn’t mean that Duggan is only a special teams guy, listed at 6-foot-5, and 297 pounds, he could definitely get some reps at tackle for the Hokies.
The last player I want to do a full highlight on is Hannes Hammer, a redshirt freshman. He was a big signing in the 2022 recruiting class, and here’s what his Virginia Tech Athletics bio has to say about him:
“Two-year letterman for head coach Stephen Alexander at North Cross School in Virginia…Was a team captain as a senior…Helped the Raiders to a VISAA state title as a senior (11-1)…Garnered first team All-VISAA Blue Ridge District honors as a junior and senior…Was named to the VISAA All-State team as a junior and senior…Rated a 3-star recruit by 247 Sports, ESPN, On3 and Rivals … Ranked No. 66 offensive tackle and No. 23 recruit in Virginia by 247 Sports … No. 122 offensive tackle and No. 43 recruit in Virginia by ESPN … No. 45 offensive tackle and No.18 prospect in Virginia by On3 … .No. 27 prospect in Virginia by Rivals.”
Hammer is a player who’s development could be crucial to the future of the offensive line. Being a top-50 offensive tackle in your class, according to Rivals, will bring some high expectations of you as a player. Hammer has spent his time at Tech becoming known as a guy who spends a ton of time in the weight room, which is a very valuable asset for your players to have, especially looking at it from the perspective of the coaching staff.
Brent Pry isn’t rushing to have Hannes Hammer on the field, but could give him opportunities in the near future, knowing that he’s somebody that Ron Crook will rely on in the future.
I also would like to highlight Elijah Haughawout, Tyler Smedley, Caleb Nitta, Grant Karczewski, Web Davidson, Aidan Lynch, and Tommy Ricard. Most of this group is freshmen, walk-ons, or players that haven’t gotten much opportunity to play, but are so important to the program. Expect to hear some of these names in the future, and do not count them out. The depth is insanely large at the offensive line, and all of these players deserve their own piece in this article. These players help hold together the lining of the program, and the offensive line in general. These are the guys that often go without notice but offer unrivaled amounts to the coaching staff and the players around them.
Virginia Tech should be a team known for how strong their offensive line is, and I think that’s Brent Pry’s plan in the future. Virginia Tech has built a super solid offensive line, out of almost thin air. There are so many guys on the offensive line, who are super talented, and some guys who definitely could have a run at All-American honors by the time they take a step to the next level.
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.