Virginia Tech football: Where does Ethan Grunkemeyer rank among ACC quarterbacks?
· Yahoo Sports
The Virginia Tech Hokies could have one of the ACC’s best quarterbacks in 2026. Ethan Grunkemeyer will be Virginia Tech’s starting quarterback in 2026. He transferred to Virginia Tech this offseason, following James Franklin, Ty Howle and Danny O’Brien from Penn State.
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After redshirting his first season, Grunkemeyer was forced into the lineup after Drew Allar’s injury last season and played well. After Penn State started the season 3-6, Grunkemeyer rallied the Nittany Lions to bowl eligibility after Franklin’s firing.
He was one of the top quarterbacks available in the transfer portal this offseason, and the top target for the Hokies.
So, how does Grunkemeyer rank against the other ACC quarterbacks for 2026?
Andy Staples of On3 ranked the top 10 quarterbacks in the ACC for 2026. He has Grunkemeyer ranked No. 8.
Ethan Grunkemeyer was tossed into a tough situation last season at Penn State when he replaced an injured Allar just as coach James Franklin was getting fired.
His first three starts as a redshirt freshman? Against Iowa, Ohio State and Indiana. By the Indiana game, Grunkemeyer looked comfortable, and he was quite efficient in wins against Michigan State, Nebraska, Rutgers and Clemson to close the season.
Grunkemeyer followed Franklin to Blacksburg, where he’ll once again work with former Penn State assistants Danny O’Brien (quarterbacks) and Ty Howle (offensive coordinator). He should be immediately comfortable, and he should take comfort in the fact that Virginia Tech’s schedule contains nothing as difficult as that initial gauntlet.
Here’s Staples’ top 10:
- 1. Darian Mensah, Miami
- 2. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Cal
- 3. Kevin Jennings, SMU
- 4. C.J. Bailey, NC State
- 5. Mason Heintschel, Pitt
- 6. Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville
- 7. Steve Angeli, Syracuse
- 8. Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech
- 9. Christopher Vizzina, Clemson
- 10. Beau Pribula, Virginia
That’s a pretty solid group of quarterbacks. Mensah remains in the ACC. He led Duke to the ACC Championship last season, and then, at the last minute, transferred to Miami. It was messy. Sagapolutele may be atop this list by season’s end. The Hokies know how good he is. Jennings is an excellent dual-threat quarterback, while Bailey is a gifted pocket passer.
Could Grunkemeyer be ranked higher? Sure, but the Hokies feel as good about the position as they have in years. Grunkemeyer has barely scratched the surface and has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
As far as rankings, we all know they’re subjective. If Grunkemeyer can help win some games, he’ll be ranked much higher by the end of the season.