Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin continues to reshape the Hokies in his image. Late Monday night, Franklin added another premier talent via the NCAA transfer portal: Former Missouri EDGE Javion
Hilson.
The 6-foot-4, 24o-pound Hilson was ranked as the No. 79 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class, according to 247Sports. Rivals ranked Hilson as a 5-star prospect. The Cocoa, Florida, native redshirted in 2025, which means he has four years of eligibility remaining.
Check out this practice clip Hilson posted:
Hilson is fast, strong and almost impossible to block here due to his explosiveness off the line of scrimmage. Now, Hilson will get to play for one of college football’s top defensive line coaches, Sean Spencer.
One of the positions the Hokies needed to address the most was edge rusher. I would expect at least two more edge rushers to sign through the portal. The Hokies were unable to replace Antwaun Powell-Ryland’s production in 2025. Hilson possesses elite physical tools, making him a candidate to start immediately.
Franklin is focusing on adding players with a high upside and multiple years of eligibility remaining. Sign them, develop them, pay them and keep them in the program until, hopefully, the NFL calls. It’s a wise strategy, as other teams often target one-year mercenaries. Franklin is taking a mixed approach in order to rebuild a depleted roster.
