Duke Transfer DT Aeneas Peebles Commits To Virginia Tech

Aeneas Peebles
Defensive Tackle
Transfer Portal, Duke
6-1, 286
Knightdale, NC

Virginia Tech picked up an important commitment from one of its top transfer portal targets when former Duke defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles made his pledge on Monday.

HOOOKIESSSSS!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/YywvwxSp4r

— Aeneas “Fub” Peebles (@Ae9eas) December 18, 2023

He is the first of what is expected to be multiple defensive tackle commitments during this portal window. He is the second transfer portal commit this month, joining offensive lineman Montavious Cunningham of Georgia State.

Peebles was a third-team All-ACC player at Duke in 2023. He finished the season with 8.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. Out of 319 FBS defensive tackles who played 300+ snaps in 2023, Peebles finished with the 11th-highest grade (84.1), according to Pro Football Focus. His 27 quarterback pressures ranked 27th out of the same 319 players.

His commitment is a huge boost to a Virginia Tech defense seeking a boost in the interior with Norell Pollard, Mario Kendricks and Pheldarius Payne exhausting their eligibility. The Hokies currently have Josh Fuga, Wilfried Pene, Malachi Madison, Lemar Law and Gunner Givens as players returning on the interior line. 

Peebles has one season of eligibility remaining. He is originally from Knightdale, North Carolina, just east of Raleigh. Sources tell TSL that current Virginia Tech cornerbacks coach Derek Jones originally discovered Peebles and recommended him to the Duke staff before departing for Texas Tech, so there was a pre-existing relationship between the two parties.

Other defensive tackle targets for the Hokies include JUCO Kemari Copeland and Kelvin Gilliam (Oklahoma). Virginia Tech is expected to take at least one more defensive tackle in this cycle, but that number will more likely be two.