Virginia Tech announced the signing of two additional transfer portal recruits on Wednesday, with defensive end Darian Varner (Temple) and wide receiver Da’Quan Felton (Norfolk State) joining the program.
We already knew that quarterback Kyron Drones (Baylor) and wide receiver Ali Jennings (ODU) were coming to Virginia Tech, so the signing of Varner and Felton bring Tech’s transfer portal total up to four. The program also officially announced Drones and Jennings on Wednesday.
Varner played his high school ball at Maury High School in Norfolk before signing with the Owls. In 2021, he had seven tackles for loss and three sacks. In 2022, he finished the season with 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, and that earned him First Team All-AAC honors. He will be a junior for the Hokies in 2023. At 6-2, 260, he will play defensive end, but he is also expected to slide inside to play tackle on obvious passing downs as he did for the Owls.
Varner picked the Hokies over offers from Indiana, Colorado, Vanderbilt, JMU, East Carolina, Appalachian State, Tulane and ODU.
Felton redshirted in 2019, and then Norfolk State didn’t play a 2020 season due to COVID. He caught 28 passes for 492 yards and three touchdowns in 2021, and improved upon those numbers as a redshirt sophomore with 39 catches for 573 yards and seven touchdowns. At 6-3, 205, Felton is an outside receiver, and he has two years of eligibility remaining.
Felton chose Virginia Tech over offers from Marshall, UNLV, Troy, SMU, James Madison, Liberty, Utah State, Western Kentucky, Kent State, ODU, East Carolina, Appalachian State, Charlotte, Toledo, Indiana, Coastal Carolina, and others.