In His Blood: Meet WKU commit Aaron Key

The three star outside linebacker out of Tucker (Ga.) comes from a family, and community, of athletes. His father was a Division 1 basketball player at Jacksonville State. His brother, Arden, was a freshman All-American and two-time first team All-SEC selection at LSU before being drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of last year's NFL Draft.

Oh, and he hails from the same school district, Dekalb County, as WKU star edge rusher DeAngelo Malone. For Aaron Key, one might think there'd be a bit of pressure to fill those shoes.

"I mean, something like that," Key said about there being an added weight to make it to the next level, "but I don't worry about it. I just try to take care of my business."

It was hard for those on the outside not to take note of the comparisons. Key easily looks the part, as his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame would suggest. It wasn't the physicals, though, that caught people's attention.

"Sometimes other people notice it," Key said about the similarities between him and his brother. "They ask if we're related by the way I play."

A lot of the attributes that evoke that comparison were actually gained off of the football field.

Up until this year, Key played both football and basketball. Despite hanging up the basketball shoes to focus solely on football for his senior year, Key notes that his days on the court were "most definitely" integral to his development on the football field.

"Mostly the conditioning part," Key said about what translates between the two sports, "but also quickness, agility, and awareness."

Add it all together, and you have a recruit coveted by Conference USA's best and multiple Power 5 programs, including Georgia Tech, which sits under 20 miles from Key's hometown of Tucker.

For Key, it was simple. One unofficial visit to WKU and his mind was set. Still yet to take an official, Key and his family believe that the Hill is the right place for him for a multitude of reasons.

"Me and my family thought it was a great fit for me," Key said about WKU. "It was nice and very supportive. I just feel like it is set up for me to be successful."

Through and through, Key's family has been his biggest influence on and off the field. His father has always stressed a humble yet hungry mentality, and it's that attitude and approach that stands out beyond anything else.

That, according to Key, is what will set him apart on the Hill.

"Aaron Key brings a hard work ethic, a leader, and a will to keep winning games. I'm a guy who wants to put on a show for everyone that watches me.'

That quiet confidence combined with a hunger to succeed is what can separate Key at the next level. He's got the skills and the drive to move out of the footsteps of past Dekalb County greats and into a spotlight of his own.

No overthinking this one. Listed at 6'3, 210 lb coming out of high school, Malone was just rated as a two star prospect when he committed to WKU. Now, he's one of the nation's premiere edge rushers. Aaron Key isn't going to walk into that status, but neither did Malone.

The junior DE has put on 20 pounds of weight since arriving on the Hill, and one has to assume Key will do the same, if not more. His 6'3, 190 lb frame has plenty of room to be filled out, and he's already got a quick enough step off the line to beat most tackles.

Key has also shown an ability to drop back in coverage, and because of his basketball background, he's got some pretty good ball skills for a LB. Even still, it would appear as though Key will be best utilized coming off the edge.

If Key can add on somewhere between 20 to 30 pounds and maintain that burst off the line of scrimmage, look out. The comparison to Malone is the easy one to make, but it also feels like the right one. The physical tools are there to be developed, but the most important aspect is already instilled in Key: motor.

Just like Malone, you won't see Aaron Key taking any plays off, and that's the biggest driving force behind this comparison. Key has all the tools, mentally and physically, to be a factor from day one, and don't be surprised to see him really break out after some time to get his body conditioned and matured at the college level.