There were certainly some unexpected developments with players entering the transfer portal for Virginia Tech football last week. Several starters on both offense and defense decided to transfer, representing significant losses for the team.
One area hit particularly hard in terms of depth since the Hokies’ season-ending win over Virginia just over two weeks ago is the offensive line—a unit that has already struggled in recent seasons. Two starters, Braelin Moore and Xavier Chaplin, entered the portal, dealing a major setback to the line’s outlook for 2025.
While Moore has yet to announce his next destination, Xavier Chaplin committed to an SEC program on Sunday after visiting over the weekend.
Xavier Chaplin commit to Auburn
Chaplin visited Auburn over the weekend, and it didn’t take long for him to commit to the Tigers for the 2025 season, according to Pete Nakos of On3.
Virginia Tech’s offensive line will have a drastically different look next season, with the departures of Chaplin and Moore being significant losses. Chaplin, in particular, was a standout for the Hokies, showing incredible toughness by battling through multiple injuries to start 12 games this past season. Widely regarded as their best lineman, Chaplin didn’t stay in the portal for long before committing to Auburn.
Head coach Brent Pry and his staff face a challenging task in rebuilding the offensive line through the transfer portal, especially with quarterbacks Kyron Drones and Pop Watson set to return for 2025. Meanwhile, Chaplin is a valuable addition to Auburn’s offensive line and is expected to thrive in the SEC.
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