Virginia Tech Showing Interest in Versatile ATH Martin Lucas

Photo Credit: Harley Taylor

Southwest Virginia has produced some talented college football players in recent years including Virginia Tech starting TE James Mitchell and Wake Forest star pass rusher Carlos Basham Jr. All signs are the region is only going to continue producing more high level college football talent with Abingdon, VA athlete Martin Lucas being among the next wave.

The 2021 athlete has seen his recruitment slowly take off recently with a flurry of offers from Group of 5 and FCS programs including Navy, Marshall, Air Force, Army, Richmond, and William & Mary. His recruitment made another leap recently when Arizona State became the first Power 5 program to offer him.

Lucas likely isn't done receiving Power 5 offers with Virginia Tech among those showing interest in him with Lucas telling us that he's heard weekly from RBs coach Adam Lechtenberg. Additionally, Lucas told us that he is receiving interest from other Power 5 programs like Wake Forest, Purdue, and Rutgers plus Temple, USF, and Old Dominion.

If the Hokies were to offer him, Lucas told us that Tech would quickly be a top contender for him because of his Hokie fandom.

"It would definitely be up there on my list because I’ve always been a VT fan," Lucas said.

That's only the start of what would make Virginia Tech's appeal unique. Two other parts of it are the fact that Lucas is from the heart of Hokie Nation in Southwest Virginia and his uncle is former Virginia Tech LB Sean Lucas, who played for Frank Beamer with his position coach being Bud Foster. Those two things would make receiving an offer from the Hokies even bigger than most.

"It’s a big deal because most people in SWVA are die hard fans and would love to see me play there! My uncle also played there which makes it a even more big of a deal! He was from SWVA to," Lucas said.

While the SWVA connection definitely helps, the aforementioned family ties to Virginia Tech football have an impact of their own as Martin Lucas would like to have the opportunity to follow his father's footsteps in Blacksburg.

"It impacts me a lot because it would be nice to do what he did and play for the Hokies," Lucas said.

At this point, Virginia Tech is pursuing Lucas as an athlete who has the versatility to play a multitude of positions at the next level whether that's RB, TE/h-back, DE, or LB. That's what happens when you bring the size that Lucas brings to the table at 6'3'' and 240 pounds according to 247 Sports.

Running back seems like the most likely spot for him to start his collegiate career wherever that may be and rightfully so. While Lucas was only able to play 5 games this past season due to a Lisfranc injury that healed a "long time ago", he was dominant in those 5 games as he told us that he ran for over 1,000 yards and had 16 TDs.

Safe to say, Lucas has definitely the potential to be a force in the backfield with that type of production regardless of the level of competition to go with his size.

Martin Lucas does believe that Virginia Tech may be close to offering him with the hope that his recent Arizona State offer might help push it over the top for the Hokies.

"I think I’m close! Coach Fuente actually followed me recently. Hopefully me getting this (Arizona State) offer will help me get it."