OF NOTE: Enrolled in January after graduating from high school early.
RANKINGS: Listed as the No. 81 outside linebacker in the country by 247Sports … Ranked as the No. 39 outside linebacker in the country and the No. 107 player in the state by ESPN Recruiting Nation … Rated as the No. 56 outside linebacker in the country and the No. 18 outside linebacker in the South by Scout.
THE VITALS: Committed to the Hokies on 5/28/2014 … A member of the All-Southeast Region Team by SuperPrep … A Florida All-State Class 7A first-team selection as a senior … The Pinellas County Defensive Player of Year as named by The Tampa Bay Times … A first-team all-county selection … In the Class 7A region final, tallied a season-high 18 tackles, an interception return for a touchdown and 37 yards rushing and another score in a 40-7 win over previously unbeaten Fort Myers … Battled through injuries, but still finished with 93 tackles, three sacks, three blocked punts and two interceptions … Scored seven touchdowns, two on defense … Played at Raleigh’s Cardinal Gibbons High as a sophomore before moving to Florida for his last two seasons … Was a Tampa Bay Times first-team All-Pinellas County selection as a junior after recording 149 tackles, eight sacks and two interceptions to help the Eagles reach the state semifinals for the first time … Was named third-team all-state that season.
PERSONAL: Born Oct. 17, 1996, in Raleigh, NC … Son of Justin Lydon and Jen Lydon and Bill Bernecki … Has an older sister … Major is undecided.
WHY HE CHOSE TECH: “Coach [Bud] Foster and the just the defense in general and the history of winning here. This is a program built on defense, and all that is why I chose here.”