From top secret visit to Packers quarterback room, Kyron Drones offers intriguing upside with potential to surprise
Green Bay didn’t draft any quarterbacks this year, but general manager Brian Gutekunst found a player with upside in Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones.
Reports about top 30 visits fly around during the pre-draft process, and teams usually don’t mind it. That’s why it was so odd when Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber reported that the Green Bay Packers hosted an unknown quarterback, and mentioned he had been asked not to report who he was.
Eventually, it was revealed that the quarterback was Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones. A few days later, Drones is officially a member of the Green Bay Packers after signing as an undrafted free agent.
What Kyron Drones offers the Packers
A dual-threat quarterback, he has an elite athletic profile. A 6-1, 226-pound player, he had a high-level 40-yard dash, broad jump, and short shuttle in the pre-draft process, elevating his Relative Athletic Score to 9.58. Drones played five college football seasons — two at Baylor, and the final three at Virginia Tech.
As a runner, he adds impressive value. In his final season at Virginia Tech, he had 170 rushing attempts to 644 yards and nine touchdowns, with 53.7 yards per game.
As a passer, though, Drones needs development. In 2025, he had 387 dropbacks and a concerning 55.8 completion percentage. With a 3.15s in time to throw, he suffered 25 sacks with a 16.2% pressure to sack ratio. Converting to NFL standards, Drones had an 80.1 passer rating, which was the lowest of his college career.
His style of play reminds us of Jalen Hurts — an athletic quarterback with strong tools, including his arm talent, but with limitations in the passing game. The throwing mechanics are also somewhat similar.
Quarterback situation
The Packers have an established franchise quarterback in Jordan Love, but the situation behind him is open after the team lost Malik Willis to the Miami Dolphins in free agency. Signed down the stretch last year, Desmond Ridder is the favorite to win the backup job. Earlier this offseason, the Packers also added Kyle McCord, last year’s sixth-round pick from the Philadelphia Eagles.
Theoretically, Kyron Drones fights with McCord for a practice squad spot. Hopefully for him, his athleticism can take him further. Based on the Packers’ interest to keep his name off other teams’ radar, they see the upside to materialize that expectation.
