Virginia Tech 2024 Position Preview Series, Quarterback: Kyron Drones Has A Chance To Be One Of The ACC's Best
As it stands currently, Virginia Tech has to be very happy with their quarterback room. This time last year, we were discussing a battle over the quarterback position between returning starter Grant Wells and Baylor transfer Kyron Drones. The switch has now been flipped, with Drones looking like an everyday starter and perhaps an All-ACC candidate going into the season.
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.
Kyron Drones obviously isn’t perfect. There are two main points for progression for the QB1 heading into next season: ball-carrier vision and panic control. Drones was very solid in the run game last year, breaking off some big runs, but he also has issues. Drones will struggle to find open lanes at time, finding himself running into a tackle, or a crowd of offensive linemen. Drones has room to improve in the passing game too. Drones was extremely efficient when everything worked, his first Reed was open, you bet he’s making the pass. When nobody’s open? Different story. Drones sometimes panics in the pocket, which puts him in positions as a quarterback he should never be in. If Drones can work on his pocket presence in the offseason, he can contend with the top quarterbacks in the ACC.
Despite the standouts of the Virginia Tech offense, it’s no question that if Kyron Drones improves, the whole team will improve. With all of the players returning, this will likely be one of the best offenses in the ACC, led by a quarterback who can run the ball and pass, I’d be scared if I were an opposing ACC coach.
The only big question at Virginia Tech, is the QB2 position on the depth chart.
William “Pop” Watson and UCLA transfer Collin Schlee both make good arguments for the backup quarterback position. The latter probably makes the better of the two arguments. Admittedly, Schlee is more productive in the run game, than he is as a passer. Schlee appeared in seven games for the Bruins last season, rushing for 425 yards, and passing for only 217. I think Schlee could get himself in for some formations, but it’s hard to reason why he would get time over Drones, who is already effective enough in the run game. Schlee does add some very needed veteran presence, which the Hokies needed, but if his true strength is running the football, “Pop” Watson could get a shot at the QB2.
Watson is a player that Virginia Tech is hoping to stay for a long time. In the 2023 class, Watson was a flip from Nebraska, and was the 40th best quarterback in the class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Pop Watson, the redshirt freshman, is a flashy quarterback who is led by his very strong arm. Watson led his team in high school to the Massachusetts Division 1 State Championship, while receiving the award for the MaxPreps Massachusetts High School Football Player of the Year during his junior season.
Watson and Schlee are both players who are very strong in the run game, which seems to be a theme for the Hokies at the quarterback position.
Virginia Tech has some nice depth for quarterbacks too.
Redshirt junior Ben Locklear was a two-star prospect out of high school and chose to walk on at Virginia Tech, instead of taking a scholarship at an FCS school. Locklear is a true pocket passer who hasn’t seen any game action in the three years at Virginia Tech, but he has made large strides in practice. Locklear likely won’t play, barring an injury to a few players above him, but he is definitely not a player to sleep on.
The other two quarterbacks in this room are Davi Belfort and Jackson Sigler. The former was the only quarterback signee in the 2024 recruiting class, who was a four-star recruit according to Rivals. Belfort was a top quarterback in the Miami area and had a 67% completion rate in his senior year. Belfort will probably be in a similar boat as Sigler, in that they will be sitting behind players above them, just to give them experience at the college level. If one of these quarterbacks were to play this year, I think it’s Belfort, but Sigler is solid too.
Sigler was an unranked walk-on out of high school, who is looking to make a name for himself at Virginia Tech. Sigler has called playing for the Hokies a “childhood dream”, and has always “bet on himself”. Sigler won’t likely see action this year but could work into a backup role down the line.
The quarterback position is probably the biggest strength for the Virginia Tech offense. Brent Pry has built such a culture, where Virginia Tech can rely on their backups staying with the team. Pry’s main focus has been continuity in the team, which is hard in today’s college football.
There are plenty of very solid depth options at quarterback and this could be a strong position for the Hokies for years going forward.
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.