Players from Virginia with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 60% of roster spots in 2016 and 36% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 71 of 118 roster spots were filled by Virginia players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 43 of 121 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 0 to 37.
The median hometown distance moved from 204 mi in 2016 to 229 mi on the 2026 roster. The reliable geography record begins in 2003. Among players with a known home state, 71% were from Virginia, compared with 40% on the 2026 roster.
Before and during the portal era
2016–18 compared with 2021–25
- In-state, not rostered elsewhere
- Previously rostered elsewhere
| Measure | 2016–18 | 2021–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state, not rostered elsewhere | 52.8% | 41.2% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 1.0% | 12.2% |
The 2026 roster
- 291 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 118 located players.
- 39.7%In-state39.7% of players with a known home state are from Virginia.
- 11.0%Backyard11.0% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 30.6%Previously rostered elsewhere30.6% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where Virginia Tech ranks
Homecoming Radius over time
The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.
Roster composition over time
Where the in-state lens draws the line: home-state players with and without an earlier college roster, out-of-state players with and without one, and players with unknown geography. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.
Where do Virginia Tech's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 121 | 39.7% | 30.6% | 229 mi |
| 2025 | 112 | 44.6% | 24.1% | 213 mi |
| 2024 | 112 | 49.1% | 13.4% | 203 mi |
| 2023 | 122 | 51.7% | 7.4% | 203 mi |
| 2022 | 125 | 44.7% | 8.0% | 206 mi |
| 2021 | 126 | 35.8% | 7.9% | 219 mi |
| 2020 | 132 | 35.9% | 6.8% | 217 mi |
| 2019 | 124 | 42.7% | 4.0% | 207 mi |
| 2018 | 102 | 44.6% | 2.0% | 216 mi |
| 2017 | 109 | 54.1% | 0.9% | 207 mi |
| 2016 | 118 | 60.7% | 0.0% | 204 mi |
| 2015 | 125 | 60.8% | 0.8% | 204 mi |
| 2014 | 131 | 63.4% | 0.8% | 203 mi |
| 2013 | 121 | 68.6% | 0.0% | 202 mi |
| 2012 | 123 | 66.7% | 0.0% | 203 mi |
| 2011 | 123 | 61.0% | 0.0% | 203 mi |
| 2010 | 121 | 66.4% | 0.0% | 201 mi |
| 2009 | 119 | 66.7% | 0.0% | 195 mi |
| 2008‡ | 29 | 58.8% | 0.0% | — |
| 2007‡ | 34 | 63.6% | 0.0% | — |
| 2006‡ | 33 | 75.0% | 0.0% | — |
| 2005‡ | 30 | — | 0.0% | — |
| 2004‡ | 32 | — | 0.0% | — |
| 2003archive | 115 | 71.1% | 0.0% proxy | 204 mi |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
‡ fewer than 70 roster rows or under 75% known home state. Treat with caution.
archive = official athletic-site roster. “Proxy” is the share listing a previous school where that field behaved like a transfer field; it is not the same measure as the share previously rostered elsewhere.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 229 mi