Virginia Tech Quarterback Kyron Drones Named to Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List

In 2024, Drones compiled 1,562 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns and six interceptions. The then-redshirt junior missed four games and was sidelined for the remainder of the season after going down against Clemson. Drones ended the year with a quarterback rating of 53.1, good for No. 80 in the nation.

"I was trying to show that I can throw, especially in the first early games where I wasn't really truly being myself," Drones said to Adam Breneman on Breneman's "Next Up" podcast. "And then I would say going into that Miami game, I really just changed the switch and just like went out there and started being me again until I couldn't play anymore."

Earlier this summer, Drones was also tabbed to the Maxwell Award, which recognizes the top all-around player in college football. That recognition came in the wake of a season in which Drones fought through inconsistency and injuries, challenges he reflected on this week with Breneman.

"Last year was the most adversity I faced," Drones said. "Just having not a great start and then being up and down and then just battling through injuries that nobody really knew about and I was almost hurt the whole season. So, just going out there, try to battle through that each and every day, let alone my first year, my first time ever, just letting the what people on the outside said was getting to me was last year. Usually, I was a guy that never really cared. So, just me having that up and down year, battling through injuries, and then just hearing the outside noise. I would say that was my biggest adversity. And then just me having my procedure done, coming back to rehab, how I did it this summer, and then just I picked up where I left off when I got the procedure in spring. I'm back rolling now. I feel perfectly fine. If I had to play a game tomorrow, I'd be perfectly fine. And then just my confidence level is even higher now than it was last year. So, I'm just real proud of myself for that. And I can't wait for the season."

Eight days remain until Virginia Tech football kicks off its 2025 campaign; the Hokies draw South Carolina in Week 1 and the clash will take place on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 3 p.m. in Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the Aflac Kickoff.