Transfer Watch: Auburn Veteran Offensive Lineman Dillon Wade Muskrat Joins Virginia Tech, Reuniting with Philip Montgomery
Virginia Tech has added a key piece to its offensive line rotation with the transfer of Dillon Wade Muskrat, a seasoned and versatile lineman who brings five years of collegiate experience and a wealth of playing time to Blacksburg.
Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 312 pounds, Muskrat’s journey through college football has spanned across two programs — Tulsa and Auburn — with a strong connection to his former and now current offensive coordinator, Philip Montgomery. This reunion marks Muskrat’s second stint under Montgomery’s coaching, and it may prove instrumental for both player and program.
Career Trajectory: From Tulsa to Auburn to Virginia Tech
Muskrat began his college career at Tulsa, where he spent three seasons developing in Montgomery’s offense. After a redshirt freshman year in 2020, where he logged 204 snaps across four games, he encountered injury setbacks in 2021, limiting his playing time to just 39 snaps. However, he rebounded in 2022 and emerged as a starting offensive lineman, playing 848 offensive snaps and solidifying his place on the Golden Hurricanes’ front line.
His success at Tulsa led him to Auburn, where he transferred in 2023. While he wasn’t a consistent starter during his time with the Tigers, Muskrat remained a reliable rotational player and contributed heavily on special teams. He played 220 snaps on offense in 2023 and just 27 in 2024 but was present in every game over the two years with 118 special teams snaps.
Experience and Versatility: A Valuable Asset for Virginia Tech
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Muskrat has logged a total of 1,338 offensive snaps during his college career. Though he’s primarily operated as a right tackle (1,236 snaps), he’s also shown the ability to slide to other positions when needed — with 49 snaps at left tackle and 45 at left guard, giving Tech some much-needed flexibility.
His PFF grades reflect an up-and-down performance trend across the years:
- 2024 (Auburn, 27 snaps):
- Overall: 81.6
- Pass blocking: 76.2
- Run blocking: 79.2
- 2023 (Auburn, 220 snaps):
- Overall: 62.9
- Pass blocking: 50.0
- Run blocking: 65.0
- 2022 (Tulsa, 848 snaps):
- Overall: 61.2
- Pass blocking: 61.8
- Run blocking: 61.3
- 2021 (Tulsa, 39 snaps):
- Overall: 60.3
- Pass blocking: 33.7
- Run blocking: 71.5
- 2020 (Tulsa, 204 snaps):
- Overall: 59.4
- Pass blocking: 57.0
- Run blocking: 58.3
The most encouraging takeaway from his recent grading is the strong uptick in 2024, suggesting that while his snap count was limited, his quality of play when given opportunities improved notably.
Background and Recruitment
A native of Berryville, Oklahoma, Muskrat originally played high school football at Choctaw High School, where he was a defensive lineman before switching to the offensive line at Bentonville West High School in Arkansas. At Bentonville, he earned all-state honors, yet remained under the radar as a two-star prospect according to 247Sports. Tulsa was his only listed scholarship offer at the time.
His journey from overlooked recruit to battle-tested veteran with SEC experience speaks volumes about his resilience and development — qualities Virginia Tech appears eager to tap into.
Virginia Tech’s Offensive Line Outlook
Muskrat becomes the 28th transfer portal addition for Virginia Tech during a busy offseason — and notably, the ninth pickup since spring practice concluded. He’s the fifth offensive line transfer, following the arrivals of Tomas Rimac, Kyle Altuner, Lucas Austin, and Gavin Crawford — all of whom followed new offensive line coach Matt Moore from West Virginia.
With Muskrat’s addition, the Hokies now have 14 scholarship offensive linemen on the 2025 roster. As of April, the projected two-deep offensive line unit looked like this:
- Starters:
- LT: Johnny Garrett
- LG: Layth Ghannam
- C: Kyle Altuner
- RG: Brody Meadows
- RT: Tomas Rimac
- Backups:
- LT: Aidan Lynch
- C: Tommy Ricard
- RG: Montavious Cunningham
- RT: Lucas Austin
Given Muskrat’s experience and positional flexibility, he is expected to compete immediately for a backup or rotational role, most likely at right tackle, which could allow Rimac — a fellow transfer — to slide inside to right guard, where his physicality might be better utilized.
Strategic Value
Muskrat’s relationship with Montgomery, his ability to play multiple positions, and his experience in both American Athletic Conference (AAC) and Southeastern Conference (SEC) environments provide Virginia Tech with a proven depth piece as they aim to stabilize and strengthen their offensive front in 2025. This move isn’t just about depth — it’s about readiness, system familiarity, and locker room maturity.
With much of Tech’s offensive line still developing, having a veteran who has played over 1,300 career snaps offers an invaluable safety net — especially as the program looks to rebuild its offensive identity under a new staff.
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