Virginia Tech football: Indiana LB Aycen Stevens is a Hokie

Virginia Tech’s big week on the recruiting trail continued Wednesday when three-star linebacker Aycen Stevens picked the Hokies. Stevens, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound linebacker, plays high school football at Decatur Central in Indianapolis.

Stevens chose the Hokies over offers from Iowa State, West Virginia, Tennessee, Nebraska, Purdue, Duke, Indiana and Minnesota, among others. Stevens also plays quarterback for his high school.

Suppose you’re wondering why the Hokies recruited a player from outside the primary recruiting footprint head coach Brent Pry mentioned this spring. In this case, it’s because Stevens has a family connection to Pry. His older brother, Tommy, played at Penn State under Pry, and the younger Stevens first met Pry as a kid. Stevens wasn’t initially on Tech’s radar and vice versa until Pry reached out and offered Stevens in May. Stevens visited Blacksburg, enjoyed it, and returned for an official visit last weekend.

Now, he’s a Hokie.

Let’s ignore the family connection for a minute here. Go watch Stevens. He can play. He will likely pick up more offers during his senior season. He has the perfect frame, where he can easily add 20-25 pounds and keep his athleticism. Remember, Pry has a long history of coaching linebackers and putting them in the NFL. Defensive coordinator Chris Marve is also a former linebacker. The Hokies believe they have a steal in Stevens. I’m excited to see each of the linebackers Tech signs in this class, including Stevens and Tavorian Copeland, who committed Tuesday.

Welcome to Virginia Tech, Aycen.