Hokies defensive end C.J. McCray entered the transfer portal on Friday evening, per Kolby Crawford of 247Sports. He has one year of eligibility remaining and will be a redshirt senior in 2025.
The 6-foot-4, 251-pound end racked up 45 tackles, six tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hurries in four seasons for Virginia Tech. Most of that production — 41 tackles, all six TFLs and all 5.5 sacks and 10 hurries — came in 2022 and '23 before he was in a reserve role this season.
After grading out well in 2022 (70.9 overall defensive grade, per PFF) and 2023 (68.3) over 582 snaps, McCray was on the field for just 64 snaps in 2024 — all but three of which came in non-conference play. He didn't fare well either at 51.8, the lowest mark of the eight defensive ends who saw playing time for Tech this year. The list:
McCray started his career at Marshall in 2020 before transferring to Tech ahead of the 2021 season. He redshirted that year before being a rotational piece behind TyJuan Garbutt, Jaylen Griffin and Cole Nelson in 2022. The Lumberton, N.C., native started one game in his career: vs. Wofford on Sept. 17, 2022, and had a sack and a forced fumble. He never quite replicated that success on a consistent basis, though.
The Hokies added Antwaun Powell-Ryland ahead of the 2023 season, and with the emergence of some young talent, McCray was bypassed by younger players. Redshirt freshmen Aycen Stevens and Jason Abbey both played meaningful snaps down the stretch this year over him.
His departure leaves Tech with eight defensive ends for the 2025 season. Senior Keyshawn Burgos is the lone veteran and experienced player in the room.
The Hokies now have 16 scholarship players in the portal. For more information on Tech’s comings and goings this offseason, click here for Tech Sideline’s roster management page.