The Virginia Tech football coaching staff has found early success in the transfer portal this cycle, particularly in bolstering the secondary. After securing a commitment from Clemson’s Sherrod Covil, Jr. last Wednesday, the Hokies added two more commitments on Saturday night to enhance their depth.
While there is still work to be done in the portal, head coach Brent Pry appears to be addressing a critical area of need given the number of players departing for either the portal or the NFL Draft. On Saturday, we evaluated Virginia Tech’s first four portal additions, and now we’ll assess the two most recent commitments from that night.
East Carolina’s Isaiah Brown-Murray was the first commitment on Saturday evening. In his latest season with the Pirates, he recorded 42 tackles, forced a fumble, and snagged one interception. Over three seasons at ECU, he totaled 63 tackles and still has two years of eligibility remaining.
Brown-Murray instantly becomes one of the most experienced players in the Hokies’ secondary, having logged nearly 1,300 career snaps. This addition is particularly significant as Virginia Tech looks to replace key contributors like Mansoor Delane, Dorian Strong, and Mose Phillips, who accounted for a substantial amount of playing time. Brown-Murray is a savvy pickup for Pry and the coaching staff.
Later Saturday night, the Hokies secured their third secondary commitment when Rice’s Tyson Flowers announced his decision. The 5-foot-11, 211-pound defender from Fort Worth, Texas, also has two years of eligibility remaining and brings plenty of experience to the table.
At Rice, Flowers was a tackling machine and a reliable presence on defense. This season, he registered 38 tackles (26 solo), including three tackles for loss, while forcing a fumble and grabbing two interceptions. Notably, he missed just four tackles all season. Flowers joins Covil, Jr. and Brown-Murray in addressing a major need for the Hokies.
While the ultimate impact of these additions will only be clear on the field, Virginia Tech has done well to bring in experienced players who can step in immediately to fill the void left by significant departures. These moves should position the Hokies’ secondary for success heading into 2025.
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