Virginia Tech QB Grunkemeyer Ranked 6th in Preseason ACC QB Rankings

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

CBS Sports released its preseason rankings of ACC starting quarterbacks this week, placing Virginia Tech's Ethan Grunkemeyer in the middle of the conference pack at No. 6 overall. Grunkemeyer, a redshirt freshman transfer from Penn State, is looking to build on a promising late-season stretch with the Nittany Lions in 2025 as he takes over as the Hokies' projected starter for the 2026 season.

Why it matters

Grunkemeyer's ranking highlights the high expectations he faces in his first season at Virginia Tech after showing flashes of potential at Penn State. If he can quickly adapt to the Hokies' offense and build on his late-season success, he could potentially surpass several of the quarterbacks ranked ahead of him and establish himself as one of the ACC's top signal callers by the end of the 2026 season.

The details

Grunkemeyer originally emerged as Penn State's starter after veteran quarterback Drew Allar suffered a season-ending broken left ankle injury in October 2025. The redshirt freshman stepped into the lineup and helped stabilize the offense, completing over 69 percent of his passes for 1,339 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions over seven starts. He also finished the year strong, leading Penn State to four consecutive wins while throwing six touchdowns without an interception.

• In October 2025, Grunkemeyer took over as Penn State's starting quarterback after Drew Allar suffered a season-ending injury.
• Over the final seven games of the 2025 season, Grunkemeyer led Penn State to a 4-3 record as the starting QB.
• Grunkemeyer will enter the 2026 season as Virginia Tech's projected starting quarterback.