Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech wide receiver Ayden Greene is as confident as they come. It’s not the type of confidence that could be misinterpreted as ego. Instead, it’s the Tennessee product’s unshakeable resolve, combined with a faith in his actions, thoughts, and words, that drives the rising junior.
Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 190 pounds, Greene has been involved in the world of sports from a young age. The youngest of five brothers, it didn’t take long to be thrown not onto the football field, but onto the basketball court.
“I’ve been playing football and basketball since I was five,” says Greene. “Me and my dad, we’d all be out there...I was the youngest, so I was getting beat up on.”
Greene cited his beginnings on the basketball court as a catalyst to get him where he is today. As a point guard at Powell High School in Powell, Tennessee, the Panther would be recognized as a two-time all-region honoree during his time on the team. Basketball, says Greene, is not as far removed from the sport of football as people think.
“[Basketball has] done me well, and it’s taught me a lot and correlates to football, which I appreciate,” says the junior wideout. “And the older I get, the more I see how much of a correlation there is [between the two sports].”
After a successful high school career in both football and basketball, Greene would step away from the court in favor of the gridiron. The wide receiver had 33 offers to play football at the Division I level after graduating from Powell High. “It’s really hard, choosing and picking a place that you think is going to suit you and fit you well,” reflected Greene.
After visiting an assortment of colleges in the summer before freshman year, Greene would go on to commit to the University of Cincinnati. However, on the heels of an unexpected coaching change inside the Bearcats staff, a decommitment quickly followed.
Hokie coaches continued to recruit the wide receiver, letting him know that he would still be more than welcome to suit up in maroon and orange.
“The same day that I found out the coaches [at Cincinnati] were leaving, [linebackers head coach Shawn] Quinn hit me up before [the decommit] even hit social media,” recalled Greene. “That was my telling factor right there. This is where I need to go.”
It took a single visit to Blacksburg after his decision to decommit from Cincinnati to find a home with the Hokies. Before even leaving the visit, Greene committed to Virginia Tech.
“Nothing felt as good as it did [than] that weekend when I visited,” says Greene. “I’m more than blessed to be here and more than happy to be here.”
Greene saw his most productive season last fall as a sophomore. Through 13 games, the wideout tallied 19 catches for 268 yards and two touchdowns, including a key score in the contest against Miami in September. He was also featured in the run game, dashing for 66 yards over nine attempts alongside a score against Duke.
The Virginia Tech wide receiver room has seen a world of change in a short amount of time. Stephen Gosnell, Da’Quan Felton, Ali Jennings, and Jaylin Lane, all of which whom Greene played with as a sophomore last fall, now have ascended to the next level.
This puts Greene in a position to become the leading voice in the wide receiver room. It wouldn’t be the first time that the Tennessee native has been asked to lead his teammates.
“Being a point guard on the basketball court, you’re the leader,” says Greene. “You’re kind of like a quarterback in a sense. “It definitely correlates into being a leader, being vocal.”
Yet, as Greene prepares for what promises to be an exciting 2025 campaign, maintaining a balance between an athlete and a student is at the top of his to-do list.
“You know, we play sports and stuff, but we’re humans too. We struggle and we go through the same things everybody else goes through, just on a different spectrum,” says Greene. “I feel like I’m doing myself a disservice if I don’t become the human being I need to be and become the person that I’m supposed to be.”
Outside of football, says Greene, finding peace is essential. The rising junior prides himself on being a champion of self-growth.
“A lot of people view us as athletes, but we have a life outside of sports,” says Greene.
With the passing of last month’s Spring Game, it’s only a short couple of months before the Hokies’ football season kicks off in Atlanta. Whether it be on the court, for his family, or for himself, Greene knows he’s up to the task. “Whatever I need to do, whatever this team needs, whatever these coaches need in this environment, I’m the guy that’s going to do it.”
Virginia Tech will open the season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia for the 2025 Aflac Kickoff Game. Interested spectators should consider purchasing tickets to see the Hokies take on the South Carolina Gamecocks on Aug. 31.