Last season the Virginia Tech football team got a ton of retainment on both sides of the ball when in came to either entering the transfer portal or declaring for the NFL Draft. This season, however, has been the opposite for head coach Brent Pry. He has seen an exodus in the portal out of Blacksburg and toward the NFL Draft.
So far since the transfer portal opened, linebacker Kelli Lawson has entered and will be going on a couple of visits this upcoming weekend. What the future holds for some of the other linebackers is a question that has been asked and Thursday night, one confirmed that he'll be returning to Blacksburg for 2025.
Jaden Keller announces he's returning to Virginia Tech for 2025
This season, Jaden Keller was a breakout player at linebacker for the Hokies and he was a force each week announced on his Instagram account he'll be back next fall. In 12 games, he had 76 tackles, 32 solos, and a pair of fumble recoveries. He recorded a season-high 10 tackles against Boston College in October and had nine in an overtime loss at Syracuse in November and at home against Rutgers in September. Three times he was credited with eight tackles against Georgia Tech, Clemson, and Virginia Thanksgiving Weekend.
Keller, who hails from Tennessee, will likely be the Mike linebacker in the Hokies' bowl game against Minnesota next month along with Sam Brumfield. Other linebackers that could see action are Kaleb Spencer and Caleb Woodson.
Pry fired defensive coordinator Chris Marve last week along with three other assistant coaches and Shawn Quinn will handle those duties with advice from Bud Foster and Pry for the bowl game. Whoever takes over the reins as defensive coordinator for 2025 will do it knowing that Keller will be back for his final year of eligibility leading the second level.