Virginia Tech Recruiting: 2025 Quarterback Commit Kelden Ryan Interview

Kelden Ryan laid out his plans for his football career at Virginia Tech.

2025 quarterback Kelden Ryan / 247Sports/Andrew Ivins

Over the summer, Virginia Tech has landed some great recruits in the 2025 recruiting class. Micah Matthews, Matthew Outten, Christian Evans, Sheldon Robinson, Zeke Chinwike, Jeff Overton, the list goes on.

There's some players who committed to Virginia Tech well before this summer, quarterback Kelden Ryan was one of them. Ryan was the first commitment in the Hokies' 2025 recruitng class, and was the only 2025 player to commit in the year of 2023.

"I connected with the staff at VT immediately," he says, "and not just the coaches. The recruiting, player personnel and development, and the creative staff are the best in the country. Virginia Tech also has a strong history of winning championships and producing NFL players. I believe in this staff and think they’re going to get Virginia Tech back to the standard that the program is used to. It’s an honor to be a part of such a special community. "

That seems to be the narrative for most recruits coming in: Virginia Tech is a very strong program, the coaches are amazing, and there is so much history in Blacksburg. Ryan was kind enough to sit down and give an interview to me, detailing his high school career and how much he is looking forward to play at Virginia Tech.

Ryan is a three-star quarterback who will play at DeSoto High School in 2024 after finishing last year with over two thousand passing yards, nineteen passing touchdowns, a 70.8 completion percentage, twelve rushing touchdowns, and over seven hundred rushing yards. He currently holds 25 offers, some of those coming from Arkansas, Miami, and Penn State.

Kelden is ready to transition to the collegiate level, and is working with some of the best high school coaches in the nation to better his game. "I’m fortunate to play my senior year at DeSoto High School," Ryan says, "the back-to-back Texas 6A Division 2 state champs and the #5 school in the nation. I think this school with these coaches do the best job of preparing us to transition from high school to college. Every practice and every game, I have the opportunity to work beside some the best in the nation. Our coaching staff is experienced as both players and coaches at all levels."

When asked about his biggest career highlight he stayed focused, "I think my greatest career highlight is yet to come. Right now, we are focused on defending DeSoto’s title and bringing home the 3Peat, but I’m very proud of my personal development and the adversity I’ve faced as a player. " Ryan joins the three-time Texas 6A State Champions, and could make some serious fireworks in his senior year.

"I think my talent is a blessing from God and He is the reason for my success. I honor that blessing through my work ethic and training I put in," Ryan said.

Kelden has been preparing to play at the next level, working non-stop to prepare for football at the Power Four level, "Every game, every practice, every day, I will give everything I have to my teammates, my coaches, and the game."

Virginia Tech is certainly getting a player with an exceptional work ethic, and a player who will always try to get better. Ryan is expecting to bring that to Virginia Tech as well, "[First] I want to complete my degree and win ACC championships. I want to write my name in the history books beside the legacy of the great QBs who’ve come through Virginia Tech."

It's really possible to talk about the history of quarterbacks at Virginia Tech, as they have had legendary players come in and out of the position. Mike Vick, Tyrod Taylor, Bryan Randall -- just to name a few.

Current Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones is also trying to etch his name in that list. Coach Tyler Bowen has done wonders with the Hokies' quarterback room, and has really been working to improve the depth and ceiling of the room. Ryan is excited to be a part of that, "I’m really [excited] about playing for Coach Bowen and Coach Crist. I think they know football and they know great quarterback play. Coach Bowen has experienced the game at the highest level, and I think they know how to develop players. During the spring, I was able to witness the coaching and teaching that goes into every practice and it was elite."

"There are so many great players there," Kelden says, "A lot of the experienced guys will probably be gone when I get there, but the 2023 class is already making an impact with early playing time. I was able to see some of the 2024 class in the spring, and they look great. This 2025 class has playmakers at all positions on both sides of the ball. There’s really too many for me to name just one [player I am excited to play with]."

The culture at Virginia Tech is very strong too, the fans are great, and players rarely transfer out. The Hokies returned much of their production, Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Kyron Drones, and Bhayshul Tuten, among others. This ability to keep players on campus is so big for building a program, "I think it’s the authenticity that that keeps players. Obviously when you make it to this level, you’ve put in the work and you love the game. But, when you’re at Virginia Tech, you can see and feel that people are there because they love the program and they believe in it," Ryan said.

The environment at Virginia Tech is another reason why the Hokies have such a strong program, "It’s amazing to feel that atmosphere as a recruit and fan. I’m very excited to experience that as a player. It’s the best atmosphere with the best fanbase in college football." Players also love their offical visits at Virginia Tech, and the love of Blacksburg shines through those visits. "The coaches and staff put a lot of effort into giving me and my family a great official visit. The planning and activities were excellent, but what really stood out was the culture of the program. Everyone was genuinely happy to be there and excited about the future of Virginia Tech. The authenticity from coaches, players, and recruits could be felt."

Ryan should be a huge addition to the Hokies roster in 2025, and is all ready to be a participant in Virginia Tech culture.