TAMPA BAY, Fla. – Following the 2023 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Virginia Tech football offensive lineman Silas Dzansi as an undrafted free agent.
Dzansi joins fellow teammate Chamarri Conner, who was drafted in the fourth round by the Kansas City Chiefs as a defensive back, as new Hokies who have joined the NFL ranks.
Three other Hokies will be vying for time at the next level, with wide receiver Jadan Blue going to the Chicago Bears' minicamp, tight end Connor Blumrick heading to the Chiefs' minicamp and linebacker Dax Hollifield earning a tryout with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Dzansi started all 11 games at left tackle, anchoring Tech's offensive line that allowed one or fewer sacks on three different occasions. He received the highest pass blocking grade among ACC tackles for his efforts against North Carolina on Oct. 1 according to Pro Football Focus. Dzansi, from Woodbridge, Virginia, tied for the top PFF grade among offensive lineman on the team for the season.
The next step for the five Hokies are rookie mini-camps, which are two weekends in May for NFL teams to hold them – May 5-8 or May 12-15. Then the first session of OTAs (organized team activities) is May 22-25, which is an opportunity for teams to get their first up-close look at all players on their rosters in an organized setting.