For much of his football career, A.J. Brand has been accustomed to having the ball in his hands. Now, he is learning how to get it in a different way.
The Virginia Tech redshirt freshman entered the program as a quarterback that had earned South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year, spending his first season working in the position room and waiting for his opportunity. But with the Hokies looking for ways to get more playmakers onto the field, Brand made the move to wide receiver this spring.
For Brand, the decision was ultimately a simple one: Find a way to contribute immediately.“It was definitely a challenge at first,” Brand said. “But with the help of my teammates and my coaches, I feel like the transition was able to be easy.”
Brand has some experience at receiver. He played the position as a freshman in high school after an elbow injury prevented him from playing quarterback. Despite having never played receiver full-time otherwise, he made the most of the opportunity.
Brand recorded roughly 50 receptions for 500 yards and four touchdowns that season, earning all-region and all-state honors.Having spent his college career around quarterbacks, Brand understands what the players throwing him the ball are looking for. He knows how routes develop from the quarterback's perspective and what can make a receiver's job easier for the passer.
