In a perfect world, Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin would prefer each of his true freshmen sit out their first year as htey get acclimaeted to the college game. But sometimes, some first-year players are just too good to sit.
During his time at Penn State, Franklin was not afraid to put a true freshman on the field. With fall camp underway at Franklin’s new job, are there any freshmen standing out?
Back in the spring, there was a lot of buzz around true freshman cornerback Amauri Polydor. At
that time, wide receiver Davion “FatRat” Brown had yet to arrive. Brown would enroll in late May. He’s on campus now and is apparently making an impression.
Everyone expects Ayden Green and Que’Sean Brown to be Virginia Tech’s top two receivers in 2026. But everything is wide open for the No. 3 receiver role. There are plenty of candidates, but the 6-foot-1, 204-pound freshman is already making his case.
During media day on Sunday, Franklin was discussing Virginia Tech’s receivers. Who was stepping up as VT’s No. 3 receiver. Franklin named five guys total, but FatRat was the only first-year player.
“FatRat” is a guy that I think has flashed as a true freshman,“ Franklin said. ”I think there’s a lot of guys talking about him and excited about him.“
The Hokies have only been practicing for a few days, so Brown must really be making a name for himself. If you watched FatRat in high school, you saw a player who’s game looked tailor-made for an easy transition to the next level. He’s thickly built and explosive, who is phenomenal after the catch.
In case you needed a reminder:
Brown can work in the slot or outside. He’s fast and he’s tough to bring down. You can see how those skills would translate so easily to the next level.
Now that Franklin has put his name out there, don’t be surprised if FatRat is playing significant minutes next month.
