Jaden Muskrat of Auburn joined Virginia Tech’s offensive line on Tuesday afternoon.
The Hokies benefit from the flexibility of the 6-foot-3, 312-pound lineman, who has five years of collegiate experience. Before moving to Auburn and spending two seasons there, where he reconnected with head coach Philip Montgomery in 2023, he began his career at Tulsa and played under Montgomery for three years. Montgomery is now Tech’s offensive coordinator.
According to PFF, Muskrat brings 1,338 offensive snaps to Blacksburg in his career. Due to injury, he only got 39 plays in 2021 after redshirting in 2020 and participating in four games (204 snaps). But in 2022, after playing 848 plays, he rose up the ranks and was a starter for Tulsa.
At Auburn, he saw only 27 offensive snaps in 2024 and 220 in 2023, mostly as a backup. He participated in every game during those two years on special teams, though (118 snaps).
On the offensive line, Muskrat gives the Hokies some versatility. He has 1,236 plays primarily at right tackle, although he has also played 45 at left guard and 49 at left tackle.
He received a range of PFF grades:
2024 (27 snaps at Auburn): 81.6 overall, 76.2 pass block, 79.2 run block
2023 (220 snaps at Auburn): 62.9 overall, 50.0 pass block, 65.0 run block
2022 (848 snaps at Tulsa): 61.2 overall, 61.8 pass block, 61.3 run block
2021 (39 snaps at Tulsa): 60.3 overall, 33.7 pass block, 71.5 run block
2020 (204 snaps at Tulsa): 59.4 overall, 57.0 pass block, 58.3 run block
The native of Berryville, Oklahoma, was an all-state standout at Bentonville West High School in Arkansas, where he played his high school ball. He was a defensive lineman at Choctaw High School in Oklahoma before that. According to 247Sports, he was once rated as a two-star talent with no offers outside of the Golden Hurricanes.
Muskrat is Tech’s seventh transfer portal commitment following spring practice and the 28th of the offseason. He is one of five new offensive linemen; the other four, Gavin Crawford, Lucas Austin, Kyle Altuner, and Tomas Rimac, all came after Matt Moore left West Virginia.
For 2025, he selects 14 offensive linemen on scholarship for the Hokies. Bob Schick was the lone member of Tech’s anticipated two-deep following spring practice to leave. Otherwise, according to Andy Bitter in April, it seemed as follows:
LT is the starter. LG’s Johnny Garrett RG, C. Kyle Altuner, and Layth Ghannam Meadows, Brody, RT Rimac, Tomas
LT Aidan Lynch, C Tommy Ricard, and RG are backups. Cunningham, Montavious, RT Austin Lucas
Muskrat is expected to play some role in the two-deep, most likely at tackle, which would allow Rimac to go inside to guard.
