He missed four games but still had two picks, 10 pass breakups and 24 tackles.
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"I don't want to risk his future," Foster told reporters, "but at the same time I know he wants to play."
Kyle would like to play one more game with Kendall Fuller, a freshman who is his younger brother. Of course, any setback in his recovery would likely hamper his pre-draft preparation.
Meanwhile, Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said Saturday that Hokies junior strong safety Kyshoen Jarrett has submitted paperwork to the NFL Draft Advisory Board and he believes junior defensive tackle Luther Maddy has done the same.
Both were third-team All-ACC picks this season.
Jarrett (5-foot-11, 198 pounds) was No. 2 on the Hokies with 67 tackles and he added two interceptions, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles. This was Jarrett's second season as the starting strong safety; he was a reserve cornerback as a true freshman in 2011. He was second on the team in tackles in 2012 with 83; he runs well and is a big hitter.
Defensive coordinator Bud Foster told the Newport News (Va.) Daily Press that Jarrett is going to have shoulder surgery after the season and didn't know if Jarrett would be able to pass a pre-draft physical.
Maddy (6-1, 296) is a three-year starter who had 52 tackles this season, fifth-most on the team. He had 11.5 tackles for loss, including 6.5 sacks; he had two sacks against Miami's veteran offensive line.
"I think they would both benefit from coming back another year," Foster told reporters Saturday during the Hokies' bowl media day. "There's no doubt about that."
Both seem likely to return. Jarrett arguably was the fourth- or fifth-best Hokies defensive back this season. While Jarrett has good coverage skills for a strong safety, he played better in 2012 than he did this fall. Maddy's pass-rushing skills are legitimate and he likely would get a better draft grade than Jarrett. But he never redshirted and can get stronger at the point of attack.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
