Temple linebacker Antwone Santiago has committed to Virginia Tech. (Nick Brown)

Antwone Santiago 
Linebacker 
Temple 
6-3, 225 
2 years remaining (r-Jr.) 

Virginia Tech received a commitment from Temple linebacker Antwone Santiago on Friday afternoon. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound linebacker brings 240 career snaps to Blacksburg, per PFF. He racked up 35 tackles over three years with the Owls, which included a redshirt year in 2022. His lone career TFL came in 2023 vs. Memphis.

As a redshirt sophomore in 2024, Santiago was Temple's No. 2 will linebacker and posted 25 tackles in 12 contests, highlighted by a six-tackle performance at East Carolina. He had PFF grades of 69.4 (overall), 73.6 (run defense) and 81.8 (tackling) over 145 snaps. He was also a key contributor on special teams and blocked a punt at UConn that the Owls recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.

The Meriden, Conn., native starred at Platt High School and was a two-way player at wide receiver and safety. As a senior, he earned all-state honors at both spots after catching 31 passes for 492 receiving yards and five touchdowns while averaging nine tackles per game. He was unranked as a prospect and listed with other offers from Central Connecticut State and Rhode Island, per 247Sports.

He's the fifth pickup in in the spring transfer portal window for the Hokies and the fourth on the defensive side of the ball, joining cornerback Caleb Brown (Hawaii) and defensive tackles Kody Huisman (North Dakota State) and Elhadj Fall (Georgia Southern). Tech also received pledges from offensive lineman Gavin Crawford (West Virginia) and long snapper Drew Doyle (Iowa State).

Santiago's addition gives the Hokies 10 scholarship linebackers for the 2025 season — a unit headlined by Caleb Woodson and Jaden Keller. He's the second portal addition of the offseason in that room after Jordan Bass, though the Pitt transfer was injured during spring practice. Combine that with three of the other linebackers being true freshmen and another injury in Gabe Williams and it's a thin group. Santiago helps in that regard.

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

Antwone Santiago links: 

ESPN  Temple bio