Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry continues to strengthen the Hokies’ 2025 football roster with significant additions from the transfer portal.
On Thursday, Texas State defensive lineman Ben Bell announced his commitment to Virginia Tech.
Bell, a 6-foot-2, 255-pound edge rusher from Cedar Park, Texas, started his collegiate career at Louisiana Tech before transferring to Texas State. Over three seasons at Texas State, he recorded an impressive 31 tackles for loss and 19 sacks. Last year, he played in just four games, preserving his redshirt and retaining eligibility for one final season.
Bell chose Virginia Tech over offers from Ole Miss, Minnesota, Baylor, Kansas, and others. Rated a four-star transfer by On3, he is considered one of the Hokies’ top portal additions. He joins fellow transfer James Djonkam as a frontrunner to secure a starting role at defensive end next season.
The Hokies are addressing a key need at edge rusher following the graduation of All-American Antwaun Powell-Ryland, who notched 16 sacks last season, and the departure of Cole Nelson. Bell, Djonkam, and Keyshawn Burgos are expected to compete for starting spots on the defensive line.
Bell is the 18th transfer to join Virginia Tech this offseason, helping the program assemble one of the nation’s top transfer classes despite not yet naming a new defensive coordinator. An announcement regarding the defensive coordinator hire is anticipated soon.
Welcome to Blacksburg, Ben!
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