Five Virginia Tech players to know ahead of week three vs. Maryland

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The wait is officially over. Maryland football is set to welcome Virginia Tech to College Park with kickoff set for 7:30 PM on Saturday, Sept. 19. Maryland previously announced the game as part of ‘Hispanic Heritage Night’ presented by Sardi’s where the first 7,500 fans will receive ‘Los Terps’ keychains and the first 20,000 fans to receive a cell phone flash light sticker for the fourth quarter light shows. Yet with a near sellout expected, Maryland has the chance to make a statement against a regional rival in the first matchup against Virginia Tech since 2021, including first regular season matchup since 2013 when CJ Brown’s touchdown run in overtime secured the Terps’ win in Blacksburg.

Yet with Saturday also set to mark the first time that James Franklin and Mike Locksley have met since the 2024 postgame argument following a 59-0 season ending finish for Maryland, the Hokies have plenty of Penn State flavor across the 2026 roster. We dive into five Hokies to know, including three Penn State transfers, a former recruiting target and veteran defensive back who became the final offseason addition.

QB Ethan Grunkemeyer

After throwing for nearly 1,350 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 68.9% of his passes through his first two seasons at Penn State, Grunkemeyer has re-joined his former Nittany Lions coaches to take over as the Hokies’ starting quarterback this season. Through two games, Grunkemeyer has thrown for 551 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions on 48-of-62 passing (77.4%). Though not a dual threat, Grunkemeyer has shown capable of finding his skill players and largely avoiding negative plays. Grunkemeyer has proven his efficiency through the first two weeks, but the question for Maryland is whether the front seven will be able to disrupt the pocket for the 6-foot-2, 213 pound junior. That was a problem for the Hokies after giving up four sacks and ten TFLs against ODU on Saturday, giving Maryland’s defense an opportunity to remain disruptive at the line of scrimmage to derail the Hokies’ passing attack.

Edge Cortez Harris

Remember the former four-star edge rusher who teamed up with Nahsir Taylor to lead a dominant Riverdale Baptist defense in 2024? Well, now Maryland will go against him. Harris has kicked off his tenure as a Hokie on a good note given he is tied with Mylachi Williams for a team-high three sacks, though Williams’ six TFLs may make him as big if not a bigger name to know. Williams, a 6-foot-3, 253-pound Penn State transfer, will also be a top priority for the interior offensive line, but Harris will be a test for Maryland’s OTs to keep a clean pocket for Malik Washington. A quick, slippery edge rusher at 6-foot-2, 253 pounds, Harris is one of four players who has registered at least 2.5 sacks and TFLs in 2026.

RB Jeff Overton

Maybe the most explosive player on Virginia Tech’s roster, Maryland finished runner-up for Overton out of high school with the Va. native a big piece of the Hokies offense. Overton has been able to showcase why he can become an impact back for the Hokies after flashing during his four games in 2025, yet the Va. native has been able to build on that to cement himself as a playmaker in 2026. Overton is averaging 6.6 yards per carry with 151 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 23 carries, while he’s also added 32 receiving yards on four carries with the sophomore up 27 pounds from 2025. This is where Maryland’s defensive line depth looms large with the run defense now under the microscope and limiting explosive plays from the Virginia Tech running back is priority number one. The Hokies also turn to fifth-year Marcellous Hawkins Jr. to round out the bulk of the rotation while true freshman Messiah Mickens has been an early piece, but cutting Overton off can turn the Hokies one-dimensional. After largely being untested through the first two weeks and allowing under 40 rushing yards per game, shutting down the big play ability that Overton offers can help Maryland win the explosive play battle.

Safety DQ Smith

After becoming a late offseason portal entry through the August portal fiasco, Smith adds top end talent and experience to the Hokies’ secondary. Smith amassed 228 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, five interceptions, and 16 pass breakups during his time at South Carolina including 34 starts over the last three seasons, but amid the wave of eligibility requests in court, the SEC safety added another year of eligibility. Enter Virginia Tech, where Smith could see an uptick in playing time this weekend.

Smith’s debut as a Hokie materialized against ODU where he registered one tackle, but whether his snap count and workload ramps up this week is worth watching. The veteran safety registered a ten-foot broad jump, 4.34 second in the 20 yard shuttle and 4.64 40 yard dash during South Carolina’s Pro Day in the spring.

TE Luke Reynolds

Another Penn State transfer, the junior was a standout in Saturday’s win vs. ODU after his eight catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns all set new career highs where the 6-foot-4 tight end poses a challenge for Maryland’s coverage. Reynolds enters week three as one of two Hokies to eclipse 100 receiving yards and leads the team with 158 receiving yards and three touchdowns, while his 13 catches are tied with dynamic slot WR Que’sean Brown for a team-high. The former five-star will be among the offensive players at the top of Maryland’s scouting report where Reynolds is building the production that was expected out of him as a five-star prospect out of Cheshire Academy (CT).

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