A graduate of Virginia Tech, Preas went on to have an 11-year career playing exclusively for the Baltimore Colts.

[1] Preas excelled in both sports, winning three Virginia state wrestling championships as well as being selected an All-State football player.

[3] Preas was instrumental in helping to turn the Virginia Tech Hokies football program around, with the winless team of 1950 emerging in Preas' senior year with a 8–0–1 record and a ranking of 16th best team in the country in the final 1954 AP poll.

[4] He started 40 consecutive games during his college career and was named Virginia collegiate football player of the year by the Roanoke Touchdown Club.

During his first two years in the league, the Colts tried Preas at various positions, splitting time at guard and tackle on the offensive side of the ball as well as giving him game snaps at defensive end.

[6] His first NFL head coach, Weeb Ewbank, saw Preas as a somewhat raw but promising player, who made up with effort what he lacked in experience.

After he left football, Preas was active in the world of business, owning a dairy franchise, a restaurant in Roanoke, Virginia, a motor inn, a shopping center called Piccadilly Square, and a number of office buildings.