Virginia Tech fans received some surprising news when it broke that two-year starting left tackle Xavier Chaplin will enter the transfer portal as first reported by Chris Hummer and Matt Zenitz of 247 Sports, with Chaplin announcing his decision later in the day.
Thank you HOKIE NATION🧡🖤 pic.twitter.com/nRjNDAcfvY
— Xavier Chaplin (@chaplin_xavier) December 9, 2024
Chaplin earned All-ACC Honorable Mention honors this past season despite dealing with injuries throughout much of this season. He earned a 73.7 PFF season grade while allowing only 12 pressures with a 97.7% efficiency rate in pass block this year.
He immediately becomes one of the top available players in the portal at a premium position after starting 25 games for the Hokies at left tackle. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
This is a massive loss as Chaplin was the anchor for rebuilding this offensive line in 2025 after their struggles there this year. He was also a bright spot for this unit this past year with it being hard to find high-level offensive tackles with elite potential like Chaplin has.
This is a transfer departure that the Hokies can’t afford to give up on given the importance of offensive tackles, as the NFL shows by how much they spend on top-end offensive tackles yearly. This is a case where Tech should be willing to roll out the red carpet given Chaplin’s talent at one of the most valuable positions that VT almost certainly can’t replace in the portal.
To state the obvious, offensive tackle now climbs to a top portal need for VT. While Johnny Garrett has flashed some potential to be a solid starter in 2025, the Hokies have a big hole at one of their two tackle spots.
VMI All-SoCon First Team LT Tyriq Poindexter, who visited for the Clemson game, remains a name to watch. Charlotte All-AAC Honorable Mention OT Kendall Stanley was offered by Tech today and is a name to watch after earning a 77.7 PFF grade. He also has two years of eligibility remaining while Poindexter has one.
