The Shadow
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has announced that Virginia Tech football student-athletes quarterback Kyron Drones, wide receiver Donavon Greene, defensive lineman Kelvin Gilliam Jr., and linebacker Jaden Keller will join Head Coach Brent Pry at the ACC Football Kickoff on July 24.
The ACC Football Kickoff will span three full days of interviews, from July 22nd to 24th, at the Hilton Charlotte Uptown in Charlotte, North Carolina. The event will feature all 17 football teams with ACC Network providing coverage throughout all three days, including live interviews with head coaches and student-athletes, press conferences and more. Fans can also follow the event on hokiesports.com and the Hokiesports app.
Coach Pry and the Hokies are coming off the program’s 36th bowl appearance and first back-to-back bowl games since the 2018-19 seasons.
Drones (6-2, 235), the Houston, Texas native is set to begin his third season as a starter, entering as a redshirt senior. The dual-threat quarterback wrapped up the 2024 season throwing for 1,562 yards and 10 touchdowns in nine games, completing nearly 61 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 336 yards and six scores.
Greene (6-2, 196) is a Wake Forest transfer and Mount Airy, North Carolina product who brings a veteran presence to the wide receiving corps. He has registered 102 catches for 1,853 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in his career.
Gilliam (6-3, 295) played in all 13 games last season, making six starts. The Richmond, Virginia native tallied 35 tackles (11 solo) in 2024, including 3.5 TFLs and a sack, while also recording a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble.
Keller (6-3, 235) played in all 13 games in 2024 with seven starts. The Bristol, Tennessee product recorded 83 tackles to lead the team. Keller tallied two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup, along with two fumble recoveries.
The Hokies are scheduled to open the season taking on SEC foe South Carolina in the Aflac Kickoff Game. The game will take place on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN at the iconic Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, as part of college football’s return on Labor Day weekend.
