By Brooks Tiffany, sports staff writer

Note: As part of the Collegiate Times’ coverage of Virginia Tech football, we’ll be breaking down the 2012 football roster every weekday until March 28 when the Hokies begin spring practice.

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 196 pounds

Position: Outside Linebacker

2012 Year: Redshirt-Sophomore

High School: First Colonial

Nick Dew came to Virginia Tech ranked as the No. 15 safety in the country by Rivals and a member of the ESPNU Top 150. He redshirted at the rover position during the 2010 season and showed his athletic ability by posting a 38.5 inch vertical during testing.

After the fall, he posted a 4.49 time in the 40 and was moved to whip linebacker by spring practice. He excelled at the position as he led the Maroon team with four tackles during the Maroon-White game.

Dew saw significant playing time during the 2011 season as he played in all 14 games, playing some defense but recording most of his action on the special teams. He finished the season with a total of 216 snaps, 29 coming on defense and the other 187 recorded on special teams. During his time on the field, Dew was able to record three solo tackles and four assists, for a total of seven on the season. Dew also had in impact in the ACC Championship game as he was able to down a punt inside the 10-yard line.

Dew seems to be able to switch between the Rover and Whip positions at will so it will all come down to where Bud Foster needs him most. However, one position the Hokies are not hurting at this season is linebacker as they are suffering no significant losses at the spot. This means the Dew will most likely keep seeing a majority of his action on the special teams units unless the Hokies are plagued with another rash of injuries. Look for Dew to keep gaining more experience at the linebacker position while having a major impact on the special teams units.