West Virginia offensive tackle Lucas Austin committed to the Hokies. (Nick Brown)

Lucas Austin 
Offensive tackle 
West Virginia 
6-6, 287 
4 years remaining (r-Fr.)

The Hokies added another West Virginia offensive lineman in the transfer portal in Lucas Austin, he announced on Monday.

The Sterling, Ill., native redshirted in his only season in Morgantown. He joins Virginia Tech as a redshirt freshman and will have four years of eligibility remaining.

Austin is the third offseason addition on the offensive line, all of which have come from West Virginia, joining guard Tomas Rimac and center Kyle Altuner. Expect him to compete for time at left tackle against returning players Johnny Garrett, Montavious Cunningham and Web Davidson. That's a spot Xavier Chaplin held down the last two years before transferring to Auburn this offseason.

Austin is a Sterling High School product who played both offensive and defensive line. As a senior in 2023, he earned state honorable mention honors and was a two-time all-conference performer. He was once a tight end along with being a dual-sport athlete in basketball, where he excelled. At the time of his graduation, he was a two-time all-state and two-time all-conference player and the school's all-time leading scorer, rebounder and 3-point scorer. He averaged 17.5 points and 7.6 rebounds as a senior.

He was a three-star recruit and the No. 1,164 overall prospect in the country, per the 247Sports Composite. Austin was also listed as the No. 28 player in Illinois, though 247Sports' own rankings had him at No. 12. His only other Power Four offer was Northwestern. Air Force, Army, Eastern Michigan, Miami (OH) and Northern Illinois also pursued him. However, his recruitment was very quiet this time around after he entered the portal on Dec. 27.

Overall, Austin is Tech’s 12th portal pickup and sixth on offense, joining Rimac and Altuner, running backs Terion Stewart (Bowling Green) and Marcellous Hawkins (D-II Central Missouri) and wide receiver Cameron Seldon (Tennessee).

For more information on Virginia Tech’s comings and goings in the portal, click here for Tech Sideline’s roster management page.

Lucas Austin links: 

247Sports  West Virginia bio