Virginia Tech Football: PFF Grades For Every Hokies Player on Defense Against Miami
Virginia Tech was faced with a big challenge on defense this past week, facing off against Miami, arguably one of the best offenses in the nation.
There were some last-second fireworks, but Virginia Tech unfortunately could not pull away.
The defense though, showed promise in some moments, as Miami only punted twice. There’s pros and cons to that as well, Miami scored on over 54% of those drives, and out of all of the scoring drives all but one were touchdowns.
There were also some good individual performances as well, granted some performances which are tainted by the result, but still good overall. Aeneas Peebles, Antwaun Powell-Ryland, and Caleb Woodson all had sacks. Kaleb Spencer and Mose Phillips both came up with interceptions, and both returned them quite a ways. Dorian Strong also had some significant impact, helping both Phillips and Spencer on their interceptions.
So how did Virginia Tech defensive players grade out on PFF (Pro Football Focus)? Here are the grades for each defensive player with their snap count in parentheses.
1. DT Aeneas Peebles- 82.9 (44)
2. SS Kaleb Spencer- 73.2 (27)
3. DT Kelvin Gilliam- 69.5 (33)
4. LB Caleb Woodson- 67.4 (44)
5. SS Quintin Reddish- 66.9 (32)
6. S Mose Phillips- 65.6 (55)
7. DE Jason Abbey- 65.4 (8)
8. DT Wilfried Pene- 63.8 (39)
9. CB Dante Lovett- 63.2 (26)
10. DT Josh Fuga- 60.6 (30)
11. LB Sam Brumfield- 60.2 (43)
11. Mansoor Delane- 60.2 (71)
13. RE Malachi Madison- 59.1 (2)
14. CB Dorian Strong- 58.2 (72)
15. DE Aycen Stevens- 57.0 (11)
16. S Jaylen Jones- 56.3 (42)
17. DE Antwaun Powell-Ryland- 56.2 (39)
18. DE Keyshawn Burgos- 55.7 (42)
19. DE Cole Nelson- 52.8 (46)
20. C.J. McCray- 48.8 (2)
21. S Keonta Jenkins- 46.7 (40)
22. LB Jaden Keller- 46.0 (37)
23. LB Keli Lawson- 38.2 (29)
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.