BLACKSBURG -- Nick Becton had been a basketball guy his entire life until his junior year at New Hanover High in Wilmington, N.C.

The next thing he knew he was donning a helmet and pads, and playing football for the first time.

"I barely watched it,'' Becton said of football. "It wasn't my thing.''

Four years later, the 6-foot-6, 307-pound Becton finds himself as the favorite to man the left offensive tackle spot for Virginia Tech's football team this fall.

Becton, a redshirt sophomore in the fall who has gotten only a handful of snaps at Tech, is being groomed as the replacement for Ed Wang, a three-year starter who is expected to hear his name called in next week's NFL Draft.

At left tackle, Becton will be the man primarily responsible for protecting the blind side of Hokies star quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

Quite a challenge, hey?

"Guess it's knowing you can't mess up!'' said Becton said, laughing.

"I just want to go out there and do the best I can protecting Tyrod and blocking for all our running backs ... do what I've got to do.

"I'm just trying to keep my guy in front of me so he doesn't get anywhere near [Taylor] and give him time to do what he has to do. Makes plays, that's what he does.''

Obviously, Tech offensive line coach Curt Newsome believes the big kid from the North Carolina coast can handle the chore.

"I knew Nick has ability and we're still working in that direction,'' Newsome said.

"He hasn't been out there when the lights are on yet, but he's got a ton of ability. He's had a good spring, I like where he's at and how he's working at it, and I just think he's got a chance to be a good one.

"Nick has been a basketball guy. He didn't play a whole lot of football in high school and has really used these two years here to get better. And I think it is important to him right now.''

Becton has all the size and physical tools. Little wonder, Tech was among a number of schools that quickly started to show strong recruiting interest in him after his first year of high school football.

"If you're his size and you can move your feet, you're interesting to everybody,'' a smiling Newsome said.

"I think Nick came in and was learning the game. I think he knows the situation. He's got a chance to start on this football team.''

Greg Nosal, a redshirt junior who's projected to be the Hokies' starting left guard, said the guy who will line up beside him can get the job done.

''Nick is fundamentally sound,'' Nosal said. "As long as he gets his playbook down, he's going to be fine. We can expect big things from him in the future.''

Of course, Becton still hasn't entirely dropped playing hoops. He played on two intramural teams this winter, one that won a championship.

Offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring simply hopes that big Becton can stuff opposing defensive linemen like a basketball.

When informed that Stinespring said he could check him on a basketball court, the big fellow chuckled.

"He doesn't want to play me,'' Becton said.

Newsome also got a laugh at that one.

"I would have to call Stiney on that one,'' he said. "I think Nic might go over the top!''