Penn State Transfer LB Keon Wylie Commits To Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech adds a transfer linebacker. Read more below.

Nov 15, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Penn State linebacker Keon Wylie (32) tackles Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic (11) as the ball is thrown at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images | Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech adds a big boost to its linebacker room with the addition of Keon Wylie, who announced his commitment on Thursday, Jan. 8. He just finished up his redshirt junior year at Penn State and will have two years of eligibility remaining. 247Sports broke the news.

Penn State LB Keon Wylie Transferring to Virginia Tech, from @EvanGWatkins247 #Hokies https://t.co/0cXBArnHTo

— VTScoop247 (@VTScoop247) January 8, 2026

Standing 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Wylie is a bit undersized for a typical linebacker spot but would fit perfectly into the star linebacker role in a Brent Pry defensive scheme, which would be similar to the role he played for Penn State in 2025. He was a starter when they came out in three linebacker sets.

Career-wise, Wylie has 47 tackles, 4.5 sacks and a pass breakup. This past year was his most productive, logging 28 tackles in 215 snaps. His PFF grades were impressive, logging a 65.9 overall grade with a strong 73.7 run defense grade. His coverage and pass rush grades didn't do quite as well, both falling below 60.0.

His best season came in 2023, where he produced a stellar 81.0 overall defensive grade. Along with a strong overall grade, Wylie had a strong 69.7 run defense grade and a pass coverage grade of 73.6 on the year. He had three sacks on this season, a career high.

His best game came against Clemson, where he had a 75.1 overall grade and a 62.2 pass coverage grade. He had three tackles in that contest. He also had a strong game in Penn State's season opener against Nevada, with a 72.1 overall grade, a 78.0 run defense grade and a 65.0 coverage grade. He is an overall good player, but is best in the run defense.

In 2024, Wylie suffered a major injury in spring practice that set him back for the year and he was completely unable to play, missing every game of the season that year. He appears fully healthy after a strong 2025 season.

An interesting fact, Wylie committed pretty early in his recruiting process, making his pledge to Penn State official back in July of 2021. Who was the defensive coordinator in 2021? Current Virginia Tech defensive coordinator and former Hokies head coach, Brent Pry. Wylie committed to Penn State with the assumption that he would be playing linebacker under a Brent Pry defense. Now, five years later, he will get that chance at Virginia Tech.

Wylie is a huge addition for the Hokies. He immediately becomes an expected starter for Virginia Tech and bolsters the linebackers room to add an experienced linebacker who has seen a lot of college football.