The speed and pattern matching, great, but the ball skills are above average. 5-10 / He has compiled 314 total tackles (207 solo), 21.0 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, 23 passes defensed, 4 forced fumbles and one block. 250, S / At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, the Life Christian Academy product has good size for a defensive back and is one of the more intriguing prospects in the class, just based on the diversity of his ranking. I had him in an all-star game or I coached him at camp or I went to college with his mom and dad. Those are the relationships that are meaningful, when you can get as much information about a guy to make sure youre taking the right kid, that youre doing the right thing.. -, CB / All six could reasonably be considered starting candidates next season. While theres always positional flexibility to consider with many of these athlete types coming in, particularly with the Hokies need for offensive playmakers, its not far-fetched to see a DB class that includes Cotman, Cameren Fleming, Braylon Johnson, Thomas Williams and Dante Lovett. Again, its about being transparent and open and honest and having conversations ahead of time. But getting the Hokies back in good standing with the top-tier prospects is a process, one Pry and his staff set about remedying last winter, with travel clinics in hotbed areas around the state and meet-and-greets to show high school coaches that Tech, which had lost some standing within the borders under Justin Fuente, was being genuine. I also wouldnt be shocked if Pry looks for a defensive tackle via the transfer portal. 2023 Virginia Tech Football Commitment List Total Commitments 26 READ MORE, Bodie Kahoun recently picked up an offer from Virginia Tech, and the Roanoke native will be in Blacksburg tonight. You can see that the area under the curve gets smaller both as the rating for a commit decreases and as the number of total commits for a school increases. Football Nov 11 TBA. New Virginia Tech football offer: Deuce Walker. Overall, the Hokies signed 13 players from Virginia, and three of the four transfers are from the Commonwealth. 10 Virginia Tech Hokies Trade Wins and Losses with No.9 Texas. Teams; CBS Sports; CBS SPORTS HQ; SportsLine; MaxPreps; Shop; . We want to reach out and make sure you hear it from us first. 6-4 / 6-5 / Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Virginia Tech football recruiting: Hokies land three players Sunday for 2023 class It was a big day for the Hokies, who also added a talented quarterback. He finishes in the record-book as the No. This is a guy whos going to bring a different demeanor from what we have, Mines said. While no one will confuse Virginia Tech's incoming class with Alabama . Michigan, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma had shown interest in him. Just a lot goes into it, so its easy to get excited when they jump on there and theyre signed, sealed and delivered.. Duke, Virginia Tech offer 2025 top-75 QB George MacIntyre. The Hokies have veteran Nick Gallo coming back for his final season in 2023, but Wimbush is a boost to the next wave of tight ends/H-backs, someone who looks like he could be more on the playmaking side of the position, capable of doing a variety of things from different parts of the formation. Lovett and Fleming are also players who had attention from other schools but maintained their pledges to the Hokies. Since the conclusion of the 2022 season, Conner has participated in the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowland has prepared himself for the NFL Combine. Virginia Tech added Baylor transfer QB Kyron Drones. READ MORE, Kyron Drones is a quarterback transfer from Baylor who got meaningful snaps in one game for the Bears. 280, PRO / All high school NLIs received are listed below. I love to see receivers play defense, especially in high school, show some physicality, show that theyll play on special teams. Jonathan Pennix and Krystian Williams are athletes who could start out on either side of the ball. (Courtesy of Virginia Tech Athletics). Ghannam, Arena and Lance Williams all had late interest from the outside but stuck with the Hokies and Rudolph. 2023 Virginia Tech Athletics - All Rights Reserved. The 2018 class is probably the last one with a strong finish that paid dividends on the field, with the Hokies landing future NFL tight end James Mitchell before the early signing period that December and coveted linebacker Dax Hollifield in February to punctuate a class ranked 22nd nationally, back before the wheels fell off during Justin Fuentes tenure. The Virginia Tech Hokies wrapped up the early signing period last week feeling pretty good about the 2023 recruiting class. He misses too many tackles due to risky angles and struggles coming to balance in the open field. There is a lot to like and build on with Virginia Techs 2023 recruiting class. 237, WR / Drones has three years of eligibility remaining. The receiver group rounded out late with the additions out of Tennessee of both Ayden Greene, a one-time Cincinnati commit, and Chance Fitzgerald. Of that second group, tight end Nick Gallo, safety Nasir Peoples and linebacker Alan Tisdale are the only three to publicly say they plan to return next season. READ MORE, 2024 in-state target Chanz Wiggins was in Blacksburg on Monday night, and he's become very familiar with Virginia Tech. ACC Championship. By Bryan D. Manning @BryanDManning. While its unclear how many of the soon-to-be signees will get on the field early, its clear from the Hokies recent push that theyre focusing on reshaping the offense, particularly the receiver room. That doesnt mean were not going to sign some guys from outside we did, and we will but an emphasis on homegrown talent. On3 Football Recruiting. 243, IOL / 6-2 / The highest-ranked in-state signee Tech had was cornerback Antonio Cotman Jr., the 16th-ranked player in the 247Sports Composite. 270, LB / In the composite rankings, Adams is. Each recruit is weighted in the rankings according to a, Readers familiar with the Gaussian distribution formula will note that we use a varying value for. Hes the No. The Hokies wanted to add talent to the wide receiver position, and they certainly did. Tech has also gotten confirmation from defensive tackle Mario Kendricks and defensive end Pheldarius Payne, a Nebraska transfer who missed last year with an Achilles injury, that theyll return. Hes going to challenge them whenever they need to be challenged.. Prys strategy for some may be to take a player you usually wouldnt take to rebuild some trust within that specific school or region. Recruits can send in their National Letter of Intent (NLI) starting at 7 a.m. We'll begin providing updates at that time, and we'll be here all day. 6 Virginia at North Carolina, Highlights: No. Virginia Tech and Brent Pry picked up their 18th commitment in the class of 2023 on Sunday night with the pledge of three-star defensive end Ishmael Findlayter (Ontario, Canada). Mose Phillips was a late addition and will be an outstanding college player. He is from Maury High School in Norfolk alma mater of Virginia Tech legend Kam Chancellor. The Hokies have been recruiting Walker for quite some time, but the offer has finally come through. Pennix is another local standout from Appomattox. quarterback Kyron Drones and receiver Ali Jennings III. The last Tech signee ranked that high came in 2019 when wide receiver Jaden Payoute was a consensus top-five recruit in the state and fellow receiver Tayvion Robinson cracked the top five on Rivals. Start blasting Metallica's "Enter Sandman." The Virginia Tech Hokies just added one of the top running backs in the country to their 2022 recruiting class as four-star running back Ramon Brown . He was a hybrid linebacker-defensive back in both 2019 and 2020, registering a bulk of his . LB. If Joe Rudolph picks them, you should like them, too. 16 ranking the state in the 247Sports Composite, making him the top-ranked player from Virginia in the Hokies class, hes much more well-regarded by Rivals, which lists him as a four-star recruit and the No. 1. Both Greene (1,127 yards, 19 TDs) and Fitzgerald (1,348 yards, 18 TDs) had monster senior seasons and could have the size to factor in right away. 6-1 / Last year, it was the defensive and offensive lines that ate up most of the signing class, with what turned out to be six players in the trenches on defense and six on offense. 5-11 / That means the Hokies need to have another wave of attrition at some point, be it when the new semester starts in January or later once spring ball concludes and a second transfer window opens up, just to get to the 85 max number. 6-2 / "The portal is going to be active, as we all know. Felton is a big-play guy who, along with Jennings, gives the Hokies two quality veterans to line up outside in 2023. 6-1 / 328, LB / Length offers the quarterback a little bit easier target. Several schools out there went hard after a few Hokies commitments. For our in-house analysis of each signee for Virginia Tech, check out our videos on YouTube. 197, OT / 247Sports employs a staff of more than 50 full time recruiting reporters and evaluators that rank and compile data on the nation's elite . The Hokies were competing at the Lone Star State Invitational this weekend. Pry thinks Tech secured commitments early from some undervalued players in the state who had strong senior seasons, which helped the Hokies fend off late challengers once their recruitment heated up, We came in here talking a big game about recruiting this state, he said. Conner has played in 61 games, starting every game over the last four seasons. He has good size for a receiver at 6-foot-3, 184 pounds. 205, CB / -, WR / Here are a few more thoughts on the class as things come to a conclusion: The latest addition Monday night was tight end Zeke Wimbush, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound three-star prospect from Stone Bridge High in Ashburn who decommitted from Charlotte on Sunday, just days after receiving a Hokies offer. READ MORE, Despite being a UVA legacy, Grant Karczewski will walk-on at Virginia Tech after specific advice from his parents. Jennings averaged over 1,000 yards and caught 14 touchdown passes the past two seasons at ODU, despite missing three games at the end of last year with an injury. Chance Fitzgerald and Ayden Greene were late additions as the Hokies had to beat out some good programs to land both. All four have legit size and Ghannam could play early in his career. 6-5 / Receiver and ACC champion sprinter Cole Beck will run track again this spring, then see how things how shake out before a determination is made about his football career. 5-11 / William Watson III Springfield Central (Springfield, MA) 6-0 / 175. READ MORE He and Drones struck up a fast relationship during their visit, and both committed. The NFL Combine runs from Tuesday, February 28 through Monday, March 6. 788 37 8. 210, IOL / 195, CB / Watsons size was a detriment to some, but turn on the film, and you see an electric runner with a strong arm. TSL) is an independent publication that is in no way affiliated with or sponsored by Virginia Tech or the Virginia Tech Athletic Department. In addition to Drones, the Hokies signed two high school quarterbacks, bringing Dylan Wittke and Pop Watson into the fold. He misses too many tackles due to risky angles and struggles coming to balance in the open field. Will Virginia Tech Soon Break Through In Ohio? 6-7 / A true legacy who can play. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. Liz Kitleys 53rd double-double, matched by Taylor Soules double-double, and G sinks 5 Threes! Brandon Patterson breaks down that game. (Virginia Tech sports photography) On early signing day, 25 prospects from the class of 2023 signed their NLIs with Virginia Tech football: 13 on offense and 12 on defense. We just know more about these guys. All original material and images are copyrighted by TechSideline.com and may not be reused or reprinted without permission. We really like the way he rushes the quarterback, Pry said. 6-6 / 205, DL / Welcome to Virginia Tech Football Recruiting Signing Day Central for the Class of 2023. All Hokie, All the Time. Arena is Virginia Tech's fourth commitment for 2023, joining offensive linemen Lance Williams (Alcoa, Tennessee) and Hannes Hammer (Roanoke, Virginia via Germany and defensive end Jason. Here is Virginia Techs recruiting class in full, with linked profiles on them from when they committed to the Hokies, including a brief scouting report and where they are from. Drones was a hot commodity and gives the Hokies and offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen the type of passer who can run his offense; that should be RPO-heavy. 0.8786. 10 ranked all-time Virginia Tech Hokie in career tackles. The first order of business at the combine was the measurement portion, on Friday morning, where the Virginia Tech defensive back verified his frame. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. All original material and images are copyrighted by TechSideline.com and may not be reused or reprinted without permission. - / More than anything, we wanted to get guys who had good production, Mines said. In his junior highlight tape, he flashes some burst and athleticism. 191, RB / Another defensive back: Though Tech did plenty of work restocking the defensive backfield, Pry wants a bridge between the vets and youngsters. Grant Wells did not have a good initial season in Blacksburg, but in reality, he was the Hokies' best option . We know all of these guys have the ability to cover.. Ticket Marketplace, Travel Center & Info, English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park Fan Guide, ACC Network, Video Library presented by , Virginia Tech Sports Network Radio Affiliates, Sport Psychology/Counseling and Athletic Mental Performance, Student-Athlete Academic Support Services, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Stevens will probably end up at defensive end, and, like Abbey, be a pretty good one. QB. David Cunningham will have a story at the end of the day on Wednesday to recap Techs December signees, and Chris Coleman will have a columnas well. And I believe we can win an ACC championship with this formula. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. It sounds like the Hokies want to see him begin at receiver, but I like him as a cornerback. Heath looks like a future star. All three will enroll in January, adding some juice to spring ball at the position. Some of them had other head coaches sitting on their couch in their living room, Hokies coach Brent Pry said. I worry about the lack of defensive tackles in this class, but the Hokies are counting on the top group from last year returning and the development of last years class. 1 wide receiver for the Hokies and a four-star transfer. Hes a triple-threat guy, Pry said. Conner has late Day 3 value as a potential backup., He was given a prospect rating of 5.82 - which defines him as an "Average backup or Special Teamer. 6-5 / Virginia Tech Football Transfer Tracker: Winter 2022-2023 By VTScoop247 Jan 13, 5:00 PM 207 Virginia Tech Head Coach Brent Pry expects roster turnover this offseason as he attempts to. The Virginia Tech Hokies wrapped up the early signing period last week feeling pretty good about the 2023 recruiting class. They worked late to flip a couple of players who committed elsewhere and came close. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Recruit images were posted here as NLIs were received see the area below the table. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Life Christian Academy (Colonial Heights, VA), Clarkson Football North (Mississauga, ON), RB /