Virginia Tech Football: National Analyst Says Kyron Drones Could be ACC's Best Player in 2024
Virginia Tech could be in for a special 2024 season and one of the big reasons for that is quarterback Kyron Drones. Drones played well last season, especially in the second part of the year and he has the Hokies primed to be contenders in the ACC this season. Could he end up being the best player in the conference this season? 247Sports analyst Carl Reed Jr had this to say on that topic:
"I think a kid that not enough people are talking about is Virginia Tec quarterback Kyron Drones. Kyron Drones is a guy that first got put on my radar by a couple of NFL scouts who really like his game. This kid is a bigger, thicker kid, he has a similar body type that Jalen Hurts had at Alabama. Virginia Tech last year, 17 touchdowns, 3 INT's, 818 rushing yards for five more touchdowns. He is an incredible dual-threat quarterback. Virginia Tech has five or six guys that are trending towards the NFL draft. I think that not only Kyron Drones has a chance to really push Cam Ward, he is also a part of the quarterback training group that is always with him, Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, he does not get talked about enough, he is a pro and not only can Kyron Drones push Cam Ward to be ACC Player of the Year, Virginia Tech is going to be my sleeper team in the ACC because of the amount of NFL talent that I continue to hear scouts talk about. They have great quarterback play in Kyron Drones, they have a couple of defensive linemen and secondary guys."
Just hear me out! By season's end, the best player in the ACC very well could be Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones.
— Carl Reed Jr. (@CoachReedLive) July 27, 2024
Just watch the tape! pic.twitter.com/CAY9EPvQUJ
Our own RJ Schafer previewed the quarterback position for the Hokies and thinks Drones is ready for a huge 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."
JACKSON CAUDELL
Jackson Caudell has been covering Georgia Tech Athletics For On SI since March 2022 and the Atlanta Hawks for On SI since October 2023. Jackson is also the co-host of the Bleav in Georgia Tech podcast and he loves to bring thoughtful analysis and comprehensive coverage to everything that he does. Find him on X @jacksoncaudell