The NFL Combine is next week, so it is time to look at the top Virginia Tech NFL Draft prospects of 2024. With so many draft-eligible players opting to return to Blacksburg next season, coupled with a seismic roster turnover since Brent Pry arrived, this year’s list of Hokie draft hopefuls is short.
Pheldarius Payne tops the list of prospects, but he is a late round projection at best. A few other Hokies have the chance to hear their name called, so let’s look closely at who those players are and what they bring to the table:
NO. 1 PROSPECT
NAME: Pheldarius Payne (Defensive Lineman)
DRAFT PROJECTION: 7th round
THE NUMBERS: Payne stands 6’3” and weighs 276 pounds. Over three years of playing Power 5 football, he registered 71 tackles, 22 of which were solo. As an interior lineman, he only recorded 7 sacks, but he did tally 14.5 tackles for loss (TFL). Payne played his first two years at Lackawanna Junior College, finishing with 53 tackles, 18.5 TFLs, and 9.5 sacks, helping his team reach the Junior College national championship game in his second season.
The Suffolk, Virginia native played every game at Nebraska until his final two, which he missed due to injury. After transferring to Virginia Tech, he missed the 2022 season because of another injury, but he did play in all 13 games for Virginia Tech in 2023, starting two of them.
THE TRUTH: Payne shared time at defensive tackle with three other established interior linemen, two of whom are on this list. Despite such stiff competition, he still shined in 2023, getting stronger as the year went on. His 7 tackles in the regular season finale at Virginia was his season high, and his forced fumble inside Tech’s own 5-yard line early in the Military Bowl caused a huge momentum swing.
With Payne’s size and explosiveness, he could project as either a defensive tackle or possibly even a defensive end in the NFL. His PPF grade for the 2023 season was an astounding 90.7, ranking him third nationally among all Power 5 defensive tackles. The two who graded higher than Payne both played at Texas, are both ranked in the top ten among defensive tackles, and are both projected to be drafted in the first two rounds.
Highest graded Defensive Tackles from the 2023 season pic.twitter.com/Cy4L7jwS8M
— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 15, 2024
He may not have the draft hype of those other guys on this PFF list, but Pheldarius Payne certainly deserves a shot at the next level.
OTHER PROSPECTS
NAME: Nasir Peoples (Safety)
DRAFT PROJECTION: Free Agent
THE NUMBERS: Standing six feet tall and weighing 200 pounds, Peoples is a good athlete with a lot of experience at Virginia Tech. He has 172 career tackles, 88 of which he tallied in 2021 when he was the team’s second leading tackler and earned All-ACC Honorable Mention. Although he missed starts last season due to injury and targeting ejections, Peoples did play in 8 games. He was more durable earlier in his career when he started all 13 games in 2021 and all 11 in 2022.
THE TRUTH: Peoples’ best year was pretty good, but it was several seasons ago. Also, he lost a lot of playing time this year (he only played 257 snaps in 2023). Will that hurt him? Or can he capitalize on his athleticism to earn a spot on a team?
As a defensive back, Peoples has not caused a lot of turnovers – he only has one interception and one forced fumble in three years of starting. However, he is a physical player and has compiled a lot of tackles over that time. Comparing him to Chamarri Conner, the former Virginia Tech safety who was drafted in the fourth round of last year’s draft, Peoples has far fewer career tackles (314 for Conner), interceptions (4) and forced fumbles (4). That does not mean that Peoples will not get drafted, but it is clear that his production was not as high as Conner’s.
As the 83rd best safety according to Draftcountdown.com and the 495th prospect rated by the NFL Mock Draft Database, Peoples is a bit of a long-shot to hear his name called in April. The best bet for him is likely through a free-agent contract and a mini-camp as he tries to make a full-time roster.
NAME: Norell Pollard (Defensive Tackle)
DRAFT PROJECTION: Free Agent
THE NUMBERS: Pollard is six feet tall and weighs 288 pounds. Strong and durable, Pollard played immediately as a freshman and did not miss a game in his five-year career. He finished with 118 tackles, including 45 solo tackles, 22 TFLs and 12 sacks. He forced 3 fumbles and recovered 2, taking one to the house his freshman year.
THE TRUTH: Pollard quietly had a strong career at Virginia Tech. He played in every game over five years (61), starting in 48 of them. His numbers varied over his time at Tech, but he also had to play for three different defensive coordinators (four if Brent Pry and Chris Marve are considered separately). He is a good leader, serving as a captain for the past two seasons, but it is unlikely that the Apopka, Florida native is drafted this April.
NAME: Mario Kendricks (Defensive Tackle)
DRAFT PROJECTION: Free Agent
THE NUMBERS: Another six foot player for the Hokies, Kendricks weighs in at 294 pounds. Like Pollard, he played immediately as a freshman and appeared in most of the games during his career (56). However, Kendricks only started in 20 of them. The Kissimmee, Florida native racked up 67 total tackles, with 35 of them solo. He also had 17 TFLs and 7 sacks in a five-year span.
THE TRUTH: Kendricks is another solid defensive lineman who was a mainstay at the position for Virginia Tech over the past five years. Like Pollard, though, his statistics and measurables do not stand out, and he is not likely to be drafted this spring.
NAME: Alan Tisdale (Linebacker)
DRAFT PROJECTION: Free Agent
THE NUMBERS: Tisdale stands 6’3” and weighs 225 pounds. Over five seasons and 52 games, he has amassed 306 tackles, tying him with Randy Cockrell for 11th all-time at Virginia Tech. 135 of those tackles were solo, 21.5 were tackles for loss, and 8 went as sacks. His 84 tackles in 2021 put him fourth on the team, but he was only 8 off the leader that year. In 2023, he finished second on the team in with 75.
THE TRUTH: Tisdale has been consistent for Virginia Tech, averaging almost 6 tackles per game over his career. He has played different linebacker positions, and like the other defenders above, he has played for multiple coordinators and thus multiple schemes.
Tisdale is the 49th ranked linebacker as per Draftcountdown.com. And Dane Brugler of The Athletic describes Tisdale as “an average size/speed athlete, but he is a smart, disciplined player who squares and finishes as a tackler.”
Unfortunately, Tisdale is not likely to be drafted. But a free agent contract and a tryout would not be a surprise.
Other Hopefuls
Return specialist Cole Beck has declared for the draft. His collegiate football experience is minimal, but his 100 meter dash time of 9.87 seconds made him the fastest college football player last year. Could that alone land him a free agent contract?
And former quarterback Grant Wells has moved on from Virginia Tech despite having a year of eligibility remaining. But he did earn his degree and he is married, so who knows if football is still in his future? Could he end up in an NFL camp? I do not think that is likely.
Final Thoughts on the Virginia Tech NFL Draft Prospects of 2024
Since 1994, Virginia Tech has had at least one player drafted every year except 2019. Last spring, safety Chamarri Conner kept that streak going, as he was the only Hokie to hear his name called. (Even better, he was selected by Kansas City and now owns a Super Bowl ring!)
Will that streak end this year? It is definitely in jeopardy. Payne seems to be the Hokies’ best bet at keeping it alive, but right now I would put his selection at fifty-fifty at best. While these draft-eligible players all had solid careers in Blacksburg, they are not projected to be on any NFL rosters next fall.
The NFL Combine recently released its list of 321 prospects that have been invited to Indianapolis. No Hokies are on that list.
This means that the 2024 Virginia Tech NFL Draft prospects must make the most of their Pro Day in March, because that will be their last chance to make a statement. There is a lot of work to do if the draft streak is going to remain in tact.
The 2024 NFL Draft is scheduled to run from April 25-27 in Detroit, Michigan. It starts Thursday, April 25 with the first round. The second and third rounds will take place on Friday, April 26, and the final four rounds conclude on Saturday, April 27.
Here’s hoping that at least one former Virginia Tech player hears his name called! And for those who do not, let’s hope they at least earn a tryout through a free-agent signing.
Go Hokies!
(Stay tuned, as I will update this list after the Pro Day workouts.)
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