DQ Smith
Defensive Back
South Carolina
6-1, 219
1 year remaining*
Ahead of Saturday's opener vs. VMI, Virginia Tech football added South Carolina defensive back DQ Smith in the transfer portal.
The Hokies confirmed the roster news late Tuesday night in a statement:
"DQ Smith is officially enrolled at Virginia Tech and is on the football roster, where he will have the opportunity to compete for the Hokies this season. DQ did not sign a professional contract or otherwise trigger professional status under the applicable NCAA rules.
"DQ is being afforded the same opportunity to continue his college career that has been afforded to other student-athletes in similar circumstances. Virginia Tech supports this opportunity and looks forward to having DQ on the team this season."
Smith, whose full name is DeQuandre, spent the last four seasons as a starter at South Carolina under Shane Beamer. He was on the field for 3,107 snaps in that span, according to PFF, and racked up 228 tackles, five interceptions and forced three fumbles.
His PFF grades last season, when he played 732 snaps: 68.0 overall, 64.2 against the run, 74.6 in tackling and 69.9 in coverage. He was primarily a strong safety for defensive backs coach — and Hokie — Torrian Gray.
Smith's best game in 2025 came in the opener against the Hokies in Atlanta, where he recorded seven tackles and had defensive grades of 73.4 (overall), 78.6 (run defense), 85.2 (tackling) and 68.1 (coverage). His 64 tackles were tied for the team lead last year, and he served as a captain in three games.
In terms of pure tackling numbers, Smith's best season was in 2023, when he had 73. The Columbia, S.C., native burst on the scene in 2022 as a Third Team Freshman All-American, too, playing eight games at nickel, three at safety and picking off two passes. He accounted for two touchdowns, too, including a 26-yard blocked punt against Georgia State.
Smith is a welcome addition for Tech at safety, a position group with questionable depth. The presumed starters there are redshirt sophomore Quentin Reddish and redshirt senior captain Tyson Flowers, but it's thin behind them.
Is Smith eligible? At the moment, the answer is yes.
He was a plaintiff in Pyburn v. NCAA in Baton Rouge, La., where a temporary restraining order was granted on Aug. 19. However, the plaintiffs are awaiting a hearing on an injunction, which was set for Aug. 31 before the SEC and commissioner Greg Sankey were roped in. It's since been pushed to Sept. 3. There are 31 student-athletes listed as plaintiffs in that case, including former Hokies tight end Dae'Quan Wright and former James Madison linebacker Trent Hendrick.
Six court cases have resulted in student-athletes obtaining eligibility relief at the trial-court level, but two of those injunctions have been stayed on appeal. Two additional state-court cases were denied preliminary or emergency relief, including Dalley v. NCAA in Pickens County, S.C., which involves Hokies basketball's Butta Johnson.
For more information about Virginia Tech football's 2026 roster, click here.
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