There were some late-April reports that the Green Bay Packers hosted a “top secret” quarterback on a pre-draft visit, and we now know that player is Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones. He signed with Green Bay after going undrafted and should be a name to watch in the ongoing backup quarterback competition — even if that competition is essentially decided for 2026 with the recent signing of Tyrod Taylor.
In 2022, Drones played a limited role as a true freshman at Baylor, appearing in only three games. He threw the ball 22 times for 219 yards, completing just under two-thirds of his passes (63.6%) and averaging 10 yards per attempt. He accounted for one touchdown through the air and finished with a 92.8 passer rating.
Drones later transferred to Virginia Tech and played a significantly larger role the following season. As a sophomore, he appeared in 12 games and put up 1,989 passing yards, with a 57.4% completion rate and 7.5 yards per attempt. He threw for 15 touchdowns and posted a 95.3 passer rating. Drones also made a strong impact as a runner, totaling 781 yards and averaging 6.1 yards per attempt.
The former four-star recruit has an intriguing skill set. Drones is a high-level athlete with a strong arm. He can create outside of structure and is comfortable escaping the pocket, extending plays, and turning broken situations into positive gains.
That athleticism also gives him some real value as a potential gadget option. He can threaten defenses with designed QB runs, draws, and read-option looks. It adds a different layer to what Green Bay can do offensively, even if it’s in a limited role early.
Tyrod Taylor signed with the Packers on Monday and will almost certainly be QB2 for the 2026 season, barring injury or some other calamity. He brings a similar athletic profile to Malik Willis, giving Green Bay a mobile, experienced presence behind Love. Still, Drones brings a different rushing profile. His game isn’t just about straight-line quickness. It shows up in how he runs with strength, absorbs contact, and creates yards.
That contrast could make him particularly useful even if he begins on the practice squad. Drones can operate as a scout-team quarterback who gives Green Bay’s defense a completely different type of look throughout the week. His mobility and physical running style allow him to mimic some of the league’s more dynamic quarterbacks, helping the defense prepare for opponents who rely on that skill set.
Taylor is a top-tier backup, a former starter with 15 years of NFL experience spread across eight different teams. He’s a truly reliable option in a QB emergency, exactly what a win-now team wants in their back pocket.
Drones’ athletic traits keep him firmly in the mix as a developmental project, though. His mobility and ability to create plays add a different element to the competition. The more likely path is that he develops behind the scenes, on the practice squad, where his skillset can be useful in preparing the defense for mobile quarterbacks throughout the season. The Packers may have had a major shakeup in the quarterback room this week, but it shouldn’t significantly affect Drones’ trajectory this year.
