Before each college football season, there is always discussion about which players will have the biggest impact on their team. Whether it’s players hoping to win the Heisman Trophy, teams preparing for a national championship run, or neither, it’s still important to focus on who the best players in the program are.

Virginia Tech has a few that come to mind. Cornerback Dorian Strong has developed into one of the best coverage cornerbacks in all of college football. Another influential player, of course, is quarterback Kyron Drones, who led the Hokies out of a rough start last year and would be crucial in a late playoff run.

A few more seem obvious as well. Running back Bhayshul Tuten and edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland. Tuten changed the identity of the offense last year. Tuten had over 1,000 yards from the line of scrimmage and was possibly one of the best returners in the nation. Powell-Ryland’s impact is immeasurable. Antwaun has an extremely solid spin move and often treats offensive tackles like children. He causes so much havoc on defense and is one of the main reasons the defense was so great last year.

On3 Sports recently released its list of the ACC’s most influential players. No Hokies made the top ten, but several received honorable mentions.

The aforementioned Kyron Drones has been a no-brainer. His ability to really extend plays with his feet has completely changed the capabilities of this offense. He has been instrumental in game planning and is what coaches love to have at quarterback. His technique has also gotten a lot better. Early in his career he had trouble keeping his hips compact but now he has adapted and can seemingly throw all over the field. His throwing motion is very well done, small, compact and quick. He adjusts when he needs to but he is a quarterback coach’s dream and he does so well at quarterback in every way.

Antwaun Powell-Ryland is about to have his most successful year yet in Blacksburg. With the help of new addition Aeneas Peebles, the offensive linemen will have their hands full, which in turn will mean that Ryland will have to play in one-on-one coverage more often. In addition to being mentally gifted, Antwaun also has the ideal physical build for a defensive end: 6’3″ and around 250 pounds. He makes a strong first impression against linemen and can break blocks particularly quickly due to his speed. He completely disrupts the passing and running game and will be crucial in the home stretch if Virginia Tech makes the playoffs this year.