Linebacker Divine Deablo has been selected as Virginia Tech's honorary captain for the Aug. 31 Aflac Kickoff Game against South Carolina at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The 3 p.m. ET showdown will mark the first meeting between the programs since 1991.
Deablo, who played in 51 games for the Hokies from 2016-2020, was a versatile defensive weapon in Blacksburg. The Winston-Salem native racked up 206 tackles, six interceptions and one touchdown during his collegiate career, earning First-Team All-ACC honors as a redshirt senior. That year, he posted 55 tackles, four picks and a fumble recovery in just nine games.
One of his most memorable moments came in 2019, when Deablo returned a fumble 98 yards for a touchdown against Notre Dame, earning ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors.
Deablo was selected No. 80 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2021 NFL Draft and recently signed with the Atlanta Falcons in March. He's tallied 217 tackles, two sacks, 10 TFLs and six pass breakups in his NFL career entering Year 5.
South Carolina will be represented by legendary running back George Rogers, the 1980 Heisman Trophy winner and still the program's all-time leading rusher. Rogers went on to a seven-year NFL career and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
As part of the Aflac Kickoff Game's "Kickoff for a Cause" initiative, each honorary captain will be joined at midfield by a current or former Children's Healthcare of Atlanta patient from the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center.
This year marks the 23rd edition of the Aflac Kickoff Game and the 21st all-time meeting between Virginia Tech and South Carolina, dating back to 1905. The Hokies and Gamecocks have not faced off in football in more than three decades.