There were plenty of surprises last week as Virginia Tech football players entered the transfer portal.
Among them, some key starters made unexpected moves, and one cornerback opted for the portal instead of declaring for the NFL Draft, despite having a year of eligibility left.
Over the weekend, Mansoor Delane visited an SEC school, as did offensive lineman Xavier Chaplin. On Sunday, Chaplin committed to Auburn, and by Monday, Delane followed suit, committing to the school that had impressed him most.
Mansoor Delane commits to LSU
After a visit to LSU and head coach Brian Kelly, Delane, whose younger brother Faheem committed to Ohio State in June, decided to join the Tigers for the 2025 campaign. The move to LSU offers Delane a prime opportunity to elevate his profile ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
LSU’s reputation for producing elite NFL cornerbacks is well established, and Delane will be aiming to add his name to that list after a season in Baton Rouge.
While his time at Virginia Tech showed promise, he faced some challenges this season.
Nevertheless, he chose to return to the Hokies for 2024 under Brent Pry, who managed to retain significant talent across both sides of the ball.
Now, Delane heads to LSU, a program under pressure. The Tigers missed out on the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff this season, and Kelly faces mounting expectations to deliver results both in the SEC and on the national stage.
Active in the transfer portal, Kelly has secured a significant talent in Delane, who is expected to make an immediate impact in one of college football’s most competitive conferences.
