#17

Ethan Grunkemeyer

No.105 4★, national recruit is what Ethan Grunkemeyer has put on film since landing at Virginia Tech — the bet is starting to settle.

QB · Virginia Tech · So. · #17

6′2″ · 218 lb · Lewis Center, OH · Olentangy

CFB Index 39 · #97 of 146 QBsHigh confidenceTransferred Penn State → Virginia Tech for 2026

Next upSat Sep 19 · 7:30 pm ETat MarylandSECU StadiumVirginia Tech by 3

The numbers

551

passing yards · 2026

4 TD · 0 INT · 8.9 per attempt

2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 327 pass yds, 2 TD, -25 rush yds, vs Old Dominion

The play that turned itSwung Penn State from 28% to 63% to win.Penn State at Michigan State · 28-10

His career numbers, season by season

The story

2 quarterback for Virginia Tech. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.

Signed as a 4-star recruit to Penn State in 2024.
Transferred from Penn State to Virginia Tech in 2026.

The full story, with sources

How he plays

Yards / att: 92nd percentile.

The full scouting read

Ethan Grunkemeyer

QB · Virginia Tech · So · #17

Filling the Shoesas of 2026-09-15

Ethan Grunkemeyer arrives at Virginia Tech with a new fit to prove and an old chapter behind him.

551PASS YDS4PASS TD6RUSH YDS

4★ · NATIONAL RECRUIT

No.105

recruiting national rank

Read the story so far

Ethan Grunkemeyer arrived as a 4-star prospect, the No.105 recruit nationally. He lines up at QB for Virginia Tech.

On the field, the headline is 551 pass yds, with 4 pass td.

He inherited the QB job from Kyron Drones (4-star). How many games until Bryce Baker (4★) takes the job from Ethan Grunkemeyer?

The clock is the open loop — and it is already ticking.

QB successionlow bar

Inherited fromKyron Drones 4★
Pushed byBryce Baker 4★
How many games until Bryce Baker (4★) takes the job from Ethan Grunkemeyer?

Why nowHe changed programs heading into 2026 — a fresh fit to prove out.

season totals
recruiting national rank
throne-line + Filling-the-Shoes

AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-09-15

2026 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2024Penn State13-3HC: James Franklin · Run-leaning

2025Penn State7-6HC: Terry Smith · Run-leaning

2026Virginia Tech2-0HC: James Franklin · Balanced, fast tempo

Where this profile ranks vs the QB cohort

Box-score percentiles

39Below cohort / limited sample #97 of 146?

High confidence8 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: yards / att (92nd percentile). Strength: completion % (92nd percentile). Concern: pass yards (8th percentile).

Box-score rates (8)

Yards / att#2 / 13 · 92nd pct

8.9

Completion %#2 / 13 · 92nd pct

77.4%

Interceptions#1 / 13 · 92nd pct

Rush TDs#3 / 13 · 62nd pct

Pass TDs#6 / 13 · 58th pct

Fumbles lost#3 / 11 · 50th pct

Rush yards#11 / 13 · 23rd pct

-19

Pass yards#13 / 13 · 8th pct

551

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Passing profile

Pass Profile · True throw depth (charted plays)

Adjusted ANY/A, sack rate, and where the yards came from

48/62 (77.4%) · 4 TD · 0 INT

62 of 62 attempts matched to play-by-play

62 of 62 attempts charted for true throw depth

Adjusted ANY/A

9.2817 of 75 QBs

Sack rate

4.6%37 of 75 QBs

Rarely sacked (37 of 75 QBs) and still 17 of 75 in Adjusted ANY/A.

Adjusted ANY/A uses full-season box-score totals (attempts, yards, TDs, INTs); sack rate is play-by-play-derived.

Behind LOS · Negative air yds

24% of attempts (15)

93%comp

Air -2.5 · YAC 9.1 avg

Short · 0–9 air yds

50% of attempts (31)

81%comp

Air 4.2 · YAC 6.6 avg

Middle · 10–19 air yds

18% of attempts (11)

82%comp

Air 13.2 · YAC 8.2 avg

Deep · 20+ air yds

8% of attempts (5)

0%comp

Air 34.6 avg

Overall 77.4% completion on 62 attempts · 50% of attempts thrown 0–9 air yds.

Splits & context

Splits

Per-game splits

Through 2 games: 276 YDS/g, 2.0 TD/g, 9.5 YPA, 0.0 INT/g — splits start at 3 games.

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

James Franklin

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2026

Backup

On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career stats

Season	Team
2026	Virginia Tech	48	62	77.4%	551	8.9	4	0	173.4	60	--	--
2025	Penn State	123	178	69.1%	1,339	7.5	8	4	142.6	45	--	--
2024	Penn State	1	2	50.0%	9	4.5	0	1	-12.2	--	--	--
Career		172	242	71.1%	1,899	7.8	12	5	149.2	49	--	--

Season	Team
2026	Virginia Tech	8	-19	-2.4	1	--
2025	Penn State	35	-46	-1.3	1	--
2024	Penn State	--	--	--	--	--
Career		43	-65	-1.5	2	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026

W 73–3

vs VMI

224 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · 6 rush yds (2 car)

Dominant 70-point win at home against VMI.

With Q. Brown — 6 rec · 109 yds · 1 TD · J. Overton Jr. — 104 rush yds (9 car) · 2 TD

Signature plays

Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|

The plays that mattered most

fact

Week 1 · VMI · 1&20 · Q2 · EPA +5.27(05:24) Shotgun #17 E.Grunkemeyer pass complete short left to #3 Q.Brown caught at VMI47, for 51 yards to the VMI00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 05:13, 1ST DOWN #17 J.Love kick attempt good (H: #95 N.Totten, LS: #96 C.Epling)
Week 2 · Old Dominion · 3&17 · Q3 · EPA +4.50(08:33) Shotgun #17 E.Grunkemeyer pass complete short middle to #0 A.Greene caught at ODU50, for 44 yards to the ODU23 (#11 K.Collier), 1ST DOWN
Week 2 · Old Dominion · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -3.12(12:47) Shotgun #17 E.Grunkemeyer sacked for loss of 11 yards to the Hokies44 (#5 B.Crutchfield) PENALTY Hokies Intentional Grounding (#17 E.Grunkemeyer)
Week 2 · Old Dominion · 3&7 · Q2 · EPA +3.08(13:12) Shotgun #17 E.Grunkemeyer pass complete short middle to #85 L.Reynolds caught at ODU45, for 20 yards to the ODU35 (#5 B.Crutchfield), 1ST DOWN, PENALTY Hokies Illegal Block in Back (#0 A.Greene) 10 yards from ODU35 to ODU45
Week 2 · Old Dominion · 3&6 · Q2 · EPA +3.04(06:55) Shotgun #17 E.Grunkemeyer pass complete short left to #85 L.Reynolds caught at ODU03, for 16 yards to the ODU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 06:51, 1ST DOWN #17 J.Love kick attempt good (H: #95 N.Totten, LS: #96 C.Epling)
Week 2 · Old Dominion · 4&2 · Q2 · EPA +3.03(08:26) Shotgun #17 E.Grunkemeyer pass complete short left to #85 L.Reynolds caught at ODU06, for 10 yards to the ODU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 08:23, 1ST DOWN #17 J.Love kick attempt good (H: #95 N.Totten, LS: #96 C.Epling)
Week 2 · Old Dominion · 3&10 · Q4 · EPA +3.01(14:13) Shotgun #17 E.Grunkemeyer pass complete short middle to #16 J.Overton, Jr. caught at Hokies47, for 14 yards to the ODU37 (#3 M.Easterly; #0 M.Thompson), 1ST DOWN
Week 1 · VMI · 2&1 · Q2 · EPA -2.86(00:00) Shotgun #17 E.Grunkemeyer pass complete short right to #85 L.Reynolds caught at Hokies49, for 12 yards to the VMI47 lateral to #4 T.Denmark for 2 yards loss to the Hokies45 fumbled by #4 T.Denmark at Hokies45 recovered by VMI #11 R.Powell at VMI47, End Of Play
Week 1 · VMI · 2&7 · Q3 · EPA +2.82(12:38) No Huddle-Shotgun #17 E.Grunkemeyer pass complete short left to #85 L.Reynolds caught at VMI10, for 21 yards to the VMI00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 12:33, 1ST DOWN #17 J.Love kick attempt good (H: #95 N.Totten, LS: #96 C.Epling)
Week 2 · Old Dominion · 3&1 · Q1 · EPA +2.50(13:22) Shotgun #17 E.Grunkemeyer pass complete short middle to #13 J.Hairston caught at ODU44, for 30 yards to the ODU25 (#5 B.Crutchfield), 1ST DOWN

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2026 season · 2 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	CMP/ATT	YDS	TD	YPA	QBR	Note
Wk 1	W 73-3vs VMI	17/20	224	2	11.2	—
Wk 2	W 44-21vs Old Dominion	31/42	327	2	7.8	69.8	Season-high 327 yds
Total		48/62	551	4	9.5	69.8

How he plays

Play style

Operates within the system without forcing anything.

CFB Index positional classification

DNA match

Player DNA

Pocket Passer

Balanced passer who operates within the system, without one standout number carrying the profile.

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Skylar John Thompson’s 2021 season.

Skylar John Thompson

67%match

Kansas State · 2021

Tanner Morgan

Minnesota · 2022

62%

Dylan Lonergan

Boston College · 2025

62%

Will Rogers

Washington · 2024

57%

Dylan Raiola

Nebraska · 2025

57%

Matches Skylar on

Total pass EPA (college ability)

Completion %

Differs from Skylar on

Class year (lower)

Rush yards / carry (lower)

Weight (lower)

Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Bo Nix’s path through Oregon.

Bo Nix

83%match

Oregon · 2023

All-Pac-12

Justin Fields

Ohio State · 2020

All-Big TenNFL Rd 1 · Pk 11

76%

Shedeur Sanders

Colorado · 2024

All-Big 12NFL Rd 5

71%

Carson Beck

Miami · 2025

All-ACCNFL Rd 3 · Pk 1

68%

Gunner Stockton

Georgia · 2025

68%

Matches Bo on

Height

Yards per attempt

Completion %

As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Mason Heintschel's sophomore season at Pittsburgh (2025).

Mason Heintschel

59%match

Pittsburgh · 2025

Dylan Raiola

Nebraska · 2024

49%

Michael Hawkins Jr.

Oklahoma · 2024

47%

Desmond Trotter

South Alabama · 2020

45%

Bear Bachmeier

BYU · 2025

44%

Matches Mason on

Total pass EPA (college ability)

Differs from Mason on

Recruiting rating (higher)

Completion % (higher)

Rush yards / carry (lower)

Player DNA

Players who play like Ethan Grunkemeyer

Dylan Raiola

Nebraska · 2025

57%

Heisman trajectory

Heisman Trajectory · 2026

Peak #53

Final rank

#53

Avg #59.0

Finalist prob 4%

Peaked at #53 this season.

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology

Ethan Grunkemeyer

What fans are saying

One fan believes ethan grunkemeyer has upside but faces tough tests

2024

2026

2026 snapshot

Passing profile

Splits & context

Awards

Backup

Career stats

Signature game

Signature plays

Game log

How he plays

DNA match

Pocket Passer

Players who play like Ethan Grunkemeyer

Heisman trajectory

Peak #53