You know that one guy on the squad who always picks up the tab, makes sure everybody eats, and somehow still gets the work done on the field? Yeah, that’s Shedeur Sanders‘ high-school friend. Forget the image of quarterbacks just soaking up NIL cash for cars, jewelry, and brand deals—this guy flipped the script. With Shedeur Sanders grinding for the QB spot with the Browns, his longtime-friend (also Cam Ward‘s cousin) is literally rewriting what it means to be a QB in today’s college football culture, and it’s a story that’ll make you double-tap real quick.

Enter Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones. The Hokies QB1 has been cashing in on NIL since he landed in Blacksburg, signing with Triumph NIL( Hokies collective) back in 2023 and stacking deals with brands like Kiser Furniture Co. and Hyperice in 2024. His NIL valuation? Estimated somewhere between $500K and $800K, putting him comfortably inside the top 250 nationally. That’s not exactly Arch Manning money, but let’s be real—half a mil still puts you in the conversation. But here’s the twist: instead of flexing solo, Drones is using that paper to level up his whole crew.

On August 18, while on the Next Up with Adam Breneman podcast, Drones casually dropped one of the best NIL stories yet. “NIL is good, just for me to showcase my name image and likeness, and get people the opportunities that I didn’t have before NIL,” he said. Then he went full mic-drop: “I just took my whole receiving crew out there to Tampa to go train before camp started. So just giving guys the opportunities that they might not get since they’re not the QB, and just going out there and just all of us having fun again.” Translation? This man took his bear friends (linemen) for grub and literally flew his receivers to Florida for bonding and extra reps with his NIL bag. Quarterback perks shared like good Samaritans.

And don’t miss the irony: quarterbacks in the Power 4 average around $155K in NIL cash, but they’re usually seen pocketing that solo. Top dogs like Carson Beck and Arch Manning swim in $3-5 million evaluations. Drones? He’s more about culture than clout. If NIL had a People’s Choice Award, he’d be on stage with a trophy.

Now, context check: Drones had a mixed bag of a 2024 season. He played in nine games, tossed for 1,562 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 6 picks, while also rushing for 336 yards and 6 scores. Not Heisman-level stuff, but the man did become the first Hokie in history to pass, rush, and catch a touchdown in the same game—Georgia Tech will remember that one. Still, inconsistency and injuries stalled his shine. Missed like 4 games last season, including Duke’s Mayo Bowl against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Virginia Tech limped to a 6–7 finish, but if the record didn’t scream progress, his leadership sure did.

And here’s where Shedeur Sanders slides into the picture. These two quarterbacks go way back, training together in Houston under QB coach Darrell Colbert Jr. since their high school days. Alongside former Miami QB Cam Ward, they’ve built a little offseason fraternity of young guns sharpening iron with iron. It’s more than workouts—it’s a brotherhood. “We’ve been doing this since junior or senior year of high school,” Drones said about their sessions. “It’s just something we plan to keep doing.” The respect runs both ways. Shedeur’s been spotted pulling for his guy in Blacksburg, while Drones fires back against critics who try to clown Sanders during his draft days. Loyalty like that doesn’t pop up every Saturday.

But if you’re wondering how this all ties back to Virginia Tech’s bigger picture, let’s talk Hokies football. Brent Pry is sitting at a poker table with his job chips sliding toward the middle. Year four in Blacksburg is make-or-break. Last season was a frustrating loop of false starts, inconsistent offense, and bowl-eligibility squeaked out with a rivalry win over Virginia. The defense balled out—16 sacks from Antwaun Powell-Ryland, a turnover margin of +5—but the offense often felt like it was stuck in neutral.

So yeah, while Drones is the heartbeat of this team’s culture off the field, his play has to match that generosity on it. Virginia Tech averaged 367.8 yards per game in 2024, and that simply won’t cut it if they’re serious about climbing the ACC ladder. Pry knows it, and ESPN knows it too.

Post-season ambitions for Brent Pry? What does ESPN think?

Entering 2025, Brent Pry is coaching with that “prove it or pack it” energy. ESPN’s first bowl projections give Hokies fans a little bit of everything—Mark Schlabach slides Tech into the Military Bowl against Memphis, while Kyle Bonagura bumps them up to the Gator Bowl against Missouri. Neither’s a College Football Playoff bid, but after two straight years of just scraping by, either would be solid PR spin for Pry.

At ACC Media Days, Pry didn’t shy away from the pressure. “I’m excited and encouraged by the leadership from our players, from our new coordinators, our new strength and conditioning coach,” he said. “When we reflected on the 2024 year, it was evident to me that we needed to be a more mentally and physically tough team. That starts with me, and we’ve addressed it.” Bold words, but Tech fans want bold wins.

The schedule isn’t exactly a walk in the park. They open against South Carolina in Atlanta, a neutral-site brawl that’ll test this rebuilt offensive line early. Road trips to NC State, Florida State, and Virginia could easily swing the season. Pry went heavy in the portal—30-plus transfers, a new O-line coach in Matt Moore, and a secondary boost from Clemson transfer Sherrod Covil. On paper, this is a “most improved” roster. On Saturdays, we’ll see if paper translates into points.