One of Virginia Tech's biggest areas of competition this spring and summer will be at mike linebacker. While Tech already has a few quality returning contenders for the job, the Hokies have landed another challenger in VMI LB transfer and FCS All-American Stone Snyder.
100% COMMITTED TO VIRGINIA TECH!!! @CoachPryVT @Coach_Marve #Thisishome pic.twitter.com/EK2YkkvUru
— Stone Snyder (@Stone_snyder) February 7, 2023
Snyder comes to Blacksburg after an impressive four-year career at VMI earning FCS All-American honors each of the past three seasons along with earning either a share or the outright SoCon Defensive Player of the Year honors for the spring FCS and fall 2021 seasons. For his career, Snyder had 337 tackles including 22 for loss with 12.5 sacks plus 1 forced fumble and 3 fumble recoveries.
During the past three seasons, Snyder averaged over 10 tackles per game while having 22 tackles for loss during that 29-game stretch.
He had this to say about why he chose the Hokies.
"I’ve always wanted to play this level of ball and Virginia Tech felt like the best opportunity for me," Snyder said.
He told us that Ball State, Jacksonville State, and Richmond were also being considered. Those 3 were scholarship opportunities while Tech does not to be on scholarship.
Snyder may not arrive till the summer, but there should be no doubt that he has the talent to come in and challenge for the job even if the timing of his arrival may make it at least a somewhat uphill battle. Snyder brings something that neither Will Johnson, Jayden McDonald, or Jaden Keller bring in having significant starting experience similar to veteran Alan Tisdale. He also has loads of starting experience as an inside linebacker unlike Tisdale which is significant though Tisdale did do a lot of cross-training at the mike LB spot this past season in practice.
Now there's no doubt that the jump from the SoCon to the ACC is a significant one; but the pedigree, experience, and production he brings given plenty of reason to believe he can make the jump and be an effective mike linebacker for the Hokies.
We will have more as this story develops.
