A running back: Malachi Thomas is back, but hes coming off an injury-plagued season, and Tech struggled to run the ball physically with anybody else. It sounds like the Hokies want to see him begin at receiver, but I like him as a cornerback. 6-4 / Hes got all the attributes we were wanting. The No. 205, DL / But the staff has connections that way too, with defensive coordinator Chris Marve having played and coached at Vanderbilt, sam linebackers coach Shawn Quinn playing collegiately at Carson-Newman and with a number of past coaching jobs in Tennessee and Pry himself with stints at Memphis and Vanderbilt. While no one will confuse Virginia Tech's incoming class with. Fitzgerald was the most recent offensive addition, committing to the Hokies on Friday. Early signing day is Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. By Bryan D. Manning December 12, 2022. Football Dec 2 TBA. Highlights: No. Enjoy! This site utilizes responsive web design, which renders the site properly on all platforms (PC, tablet, mobile). Another outstanding prospect from Highland Springs, Heath is electric and could figure into the mix in 2023 as a slot receiver. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. Buy Tickets Opens in new window. Teams; CBS Sports; CBS SPORTS HQ; SportsLine; MaxPreps; Shop; . 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. The secondary class is a fun group. While the Hokies have continued to add players from the NCAA transfer portal . 2023 Virginia Tech Football Schedule | FBSchedules.com ACC Football Recruiting Rankings After National Signing Day Well have a good look at things this spring.. Lets get to work #NewHome pic.twitter.com/zvIhIcrD1B, Chance Fitzgerald (@itschancefitz) December 16, 2022. S. Caleb Hardy Eagle's Landing (Mcdonough, GA) 6-3 / 182. 1 player in the state in the 2024 class, according to 247Sports' in-house rankings. Chance Fitzgerald and Ayden Greene were late additions as the Hokies had to beat out some good programs to land both. 6-4 / I can see both playing in 2023. 5-10 / 6-6 / Prior to the beginning of the NFL Combine,NFL Analyst LanceZierlein gave Conner's evaluation: Conners size and versatility could buy him time on a roster, but he might need to keep fighting for his spot. Signed. The y-axis in this graph represents the percentage weight of the score that gets applied to an overall team ranking. It helps when you can go to an area and theres a young man youre interested in that youre getting to know, Pry said. Michael Hazel. Thomas Williams is a sensational athlete and could also figure into the mix here. He will be a starter wherever he lands. 191, RB / Johnson had other options before committing to Virginia Tech but chose the Hokies. The speed and pattern matchingarentgreat, but the ball skills are above average. Virginia Tech 2023 Football Commits - 247Sports 2022 Virginia Tech Football Commitment List Total Commitments 24 The first order of business at the combine was the measurement portion, on Friday morning, where the Virginia Tech defensive back verified his frame. He didnt garner much Power 5 attention coming out of Maury High in Norfolk in 2019, ranked as the 29th player in the state, but Pry said he was the heart and soul of a 15-0 state championship team down there. READ MORE, Ari Watford will be one of the top prospects in the state in the 2025 class. Add in Jennings out of ODU and its been a very good month for receivers coach Fontel Mines. This is whats behind it. These guys were recruiting, thats an important trait that were always looking for.. Period. 34 nationally, according to the 247Sports team composite rankings. 788 37 8. The Hokies didnt venture west into Tennessee often in the latter Beamer years and signed just five players from the state during Justin Fuentes six seasons, most notably linebacker Jaden Keller in 2021. VTScoop - Virginia Tech Hokies Football and Recruiting - 247Sports In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating. 6-6 / Hes a twitchy guy, and particularly when he gets closer to the football, he was a problem for people.. He was a hybrid linebacker-defensive back in both 2019 and 2020, registering a bulk of his . I love to see receivers play defense, especially in high school, show some physicality, show that theyll play on special teams. There is still work to do in Northern Virginia and the 757, but Pry and his staff are off to a terrific start. Lovett and Fleming are also players who had attention from other schools but maintained their pledges to the Hokies. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Virginia Tech is hopeful to get defensive tackle Norell Pollard back too, though nothings been finalized on that front. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. BLACKSBURG, Va. So this is what recruiting momentum feels like? ** The Early 2023 Signing Day is concluded. In between on Tuesday will be a column on the 2023 Virginia Tech football schedule that is going to be released tonight (Monday). 1. They can do a lot of different things with their bodies, so having those qualities is a plus for me. The Hokies currently have 19 commitments in their 2023 recruiting class, which will probably grow a little bit here. Its Post Season Accolade Time for the Virginia Tech Hokie Womens Basketball Team. With a Burst of Energy, Brent Pry Throws All-Out Blitz at Virginia's Recruiting Trails. The 247Sports' NCAA Transfer Portal Database can be found here, Cornerback DJ Harvey announced he plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal 11/28, Defensive end Mattheus Carroll announced he plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/2, Defensive end Lakeem Rudolph announced he plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/4, Defensive tackle Desmond Mamudi announced he plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/4, Cornerback Armani Chatman has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Wide Receiver Kaleb Smith has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Walk-on long snapper Enzo Anthony has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Linebacker Keshon Artis has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Walk-on wide receiver Tink Boyd has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Walk-on wide receiver Will Kakavitsashas entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Quarterback Jason Brown has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Walk-onlinebacker Tyler Matheny has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Defensive End Eli Adams has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/6, Safety Nasir Peoplesannounced he will return for the 2023 season. Hammer plays at North Cross in Roanoke. Tight end Nick Gallo, linebacker Alan Tisdale and safety Nasir Peoples had previously announced theyd come back. Virginia Tech Hokies Football, Basketball, and Recruiting Cotman was the latest defensive player the Hokies snagged. More than anything, we wanted to get guys who had good production, Mines said. He is perhaps the most important player in this class. 282, RB / Takye Heath is a player to watch. Virginia Tech Football Class of 2023 Signing Day Central Competition at quarterback. 250, S / There were no last-second decommitments or signing day swings and misses, a welcome change from recent years, and the Hokies even had a few surprises up their sleeves for the public, with a pair of transfers, defensive end Darian Varner and receiver DaQuan Felton, and high school safety Mose Phillips announcing their intentions to sign with Tech on Wednesday. In addition to key transfers in quarterback Kyron Drones and receiver Ali Jennings III, the Hokies have gotten six high school commitments this month, with four coming from players who are among the top-six ranked recruits in Techs class receivers Chance Fitzgerald (2) and Ayden Greene (3), cornerback Antonio Cotman Jr. (5) and quarterback Pop Watson (6). 10 Virginia Tech Hokies Trade Wins and Losses with No.9 Texas. This guys going to make Grant better. Virginia Tech Football Recruiting - Gobbler Country Hell likely play tackle with the Hokies. 207, TE / Gabriel Williams Remains Highly-Coveted By Virginia Tech, The Virginia Tech 2023 Class In The Half-Star System, Alex Taylor Includes Virginia Tech In Top 7, Amir Jackson Picks Up Virginia Tech Offer, Virginia Tech Adds JUCO DE James Jennette, Virginia Tech Football Junior Days, Part 2, Virginia Tech Football Junior Days, Part 1, Chanz Wiggins Takes In Virginia Tech Again, Bodie Kahoun Picks Up Virginia Tech Offer, Ari Watford Preparing For Visit To Virginia Tech. 220, OLB / Once commits sign their NLIs to the Hokies, they will have a green check next to their name in the table below and move to the top of the list. LB. Will these recent good fortunes pay off down the line? - / 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. Virginia Tech Head Coach Brent Pry expects roster turnover this offseason as he attempts to rebuild the Hokies roster by way of the transfer portal and the 2023 recruiting class. March 3, 2023 9:10 am CT. Peyton Lewis, a running back prospect from the 2024 recruiting class, picked up an offer from the Alabama coaching staff on Thursday. I would expect him to redshirt and develop a bit before he plays. Those are the rankings to focus on as they combine the different recruiting services. (Courtesy of Virginia Tech Athletics). 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. Thats always the million-dollar question with recruiting, where signing day stars have a short shelf life and can look quaint once these players have had a few years to develop or, in the transfer portal age, pack up and go somewhere else to finish their career. Because what offenses do is they try to attack you when you have weaknesses in coverage. Gambling problem? Pry noted that Nashville is only a six-hour drive from Blacksburg, keeping it well within Techs footprint. 1 wide receiver for the Hokies and a four-star transfer. 259, OT / 197, OT / The results were positive, particularly around Richmond, receivers coach Fontel Mines territory, where Tech landed seven prospects eight if you include ODU transfer Ali Jennings III. Ali Jennings, from Highland Springs High School, spent two years at West Virginia and the previous two years at Old Dominion. Duke is next. 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. While Cotman holds a No. William Watson III Springfield Central (Springfield, MA) 6-0 / 175. Theres no such thing as 50-50. Virginia Tech football recruiting: Hokies land another offensive line The Hokies should prioritize the defensive line in 2024. Virginia Techs Elizabeth Kitley pulls down her second ACC player of the year award, Georgia Amoore and Taylor Soule get team honors, and Tech gets ready for Selection Sunday. Dante Lovett and Cameren Fleming were two of my favorites in this class. "We're having some exit interviews with certain guys, portal conversations," Coach Pry said during a press conference in late November. READ MORE, 2024 in-state target Chanz Wiggins was in Blacksburg on Monday night, and he's become very familiar with Virginia Tech. The speed and pattern matching, great, but the ball skills are above average. This is a guy whos going to bring a different demeanor from what we have, Mines said. 6-0 / We want to take care of the state and the kids because thats how were going to get back to where it was back in the day, senior director of player personnel Mike Villagrana said. Virginia Tech football recruiting: Hokies build momentum with late 150. Again, its about being transparent and open and honest and having conversations ahead of time. Felton is a bigger-bodied receiver that Techs lacked in recent years, listed at 6-foot-5, 210 pounds. 6 Virginia at North Carolina, Highlights: No. I think in this cycle, they understand we meant it. 233, Edge / DaWain Lofton can play the slot, while others like Tucker Holloway and Xayvion Bradshaw push for time in the lineup. Just a lot goes into it, so its easy to get excited when they jump on there and theyre signed, sealed and delivered.. The commentary is also linked in the Our Take column of the table below. (Photo of Brent Pry: Reinhold Matay / USA Today). READ MORE, Despite being a UVA legacy, Grant Karczewski will walk-on at Virginia Tech after specific advice from his parents. 5-9 / Theres a little bit of a gap between the old guys and this group, he said. But for now, Techs riding some good waves heading into the early signing period that begins Wednesday. We recruit defensive backs. Krystian Williams is another who could move around. Pennix is another local standout from Appomattox. 190, LB / We know all of these guys have the ability to cover.. "We do have time to schedule meetings, involve parents or families or coaches, if we need to, on young men considering forgoing their senior year to go to the NFL, guys considering going to the transfer portal, or guys you potentially want to help them get somewhere where they've got a better chance to play and be successful. 300, LB / Note: We are told that Ezekiel Wimbush, previously listed as a commitment, is currently preferred walk-on status. 6-7 / And for some of those players, Pry either flipped from other schools or beat some good competition to land those signatures. Will Virginia Tech Soon Break Through In Ohio? 61 receiver, coming off a season in which he had 85 catches for 1,268 yards and 14 TDs for Nolensville (Tenn.) High. In addition to Drones, the Hokies signed two high school quarterbacks, bringing Dylan Wittke and Pop Watson into the fold. 185, RB / Welcome to Virginia Tech Football Recruiting Signing Day Central for the Class of 2023. Early signing day is Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. Hes a leader. 220, OT / 190, DL / Tim Sullivan HokieHaven. 205, CB / -, WR / Here are some key takeaways from signing day: Virginia Techs class has a distinctly Virginia flavor to it, with 16 of the 29 total signees having played their high school ball in the commonwealth. Associate AD, Chief of Staff. The Hokies ended up adding four transfers in the early period who should reshape competitions at their respective positions quarterback Kyron Drones out of Baylor, defensive lineman Darian Varner out of Temple and receivers Jennings and Felton from ODU and Norfolk State, respectively. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. READ MORE, Virginia Tech recently became the fifth program to offer Kentucky wideout receiver Montavin Quisenberry, who has yet to take a visit. Virginia Tech football: A look at the Hokies 2023 recruiting class, 2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Virginia Tech safety Chamarri Conner with an impressive day, Virginia Tech football: 2 former Hokies named 2 of the NFLs top 101 players. Nine scholarship players have already gone into the portal. If he does return, likely in a special teams capacity, he wouldnt be on scholarship, though hes marketable enough that Tech could pursue NIL opportunities for him. This years class is loading up on defensive backs. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. to rebuild the Hokies roster by way of the transfer portal and the 2023 recruiting class. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. The plans are for him to go on scholarship in January of 2024, though how the numbers shake out could push up those plans. He committed on Sunday, three days after he decommitted from Boston College and a day after an official visit in Blacksburg. Football Nov 25 TBA. Virginia Tech missed out on some key in-state linebacker prospects. 10 ranked all-time Virginia Tech Hokie in career tackles. ", Chamarri Conner Interview on Coverage, Favorite Position, Why he plays Football, Chammari Conner says he met with the Dallas Cowboys, Tuesday, February 28 - Registration, Pre-Exam, Orientation, Team Interviews, Wednesday, March 1 - General Medical Exam, Pre-ordered Studies, Team Interviews, Thursday, March 2 - Orthopedic Examination, Media Interviews, NFLPA Meeting, Team Interviews, Friday, March 3 - Measurements, On-field workout, Saturday, March 4 - Bench Press, Broadcast Interviews, Depart Indianapolis. Virginia Tech Football Junior Days, Part 1 Id like to get a bona fide pass rusher off the edge, a proven guy that can win more one-on-one battles, Pry said. NA 135 140. Conner has played in 61 games, starting every game over the last four seasons. Commit And while well see if hes actually that big listed heights and weights on recruiting sites are hardly unimpeachable its a body type Techs lacking now that Kaleb Smith is in the transfer portal. 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. Varner is a 6-foot-2, 280-pound first-team All-AAC pick from Temple, where he had 7.5 sacks last year. The Hokies wanted to add talent to the wide receiver position, and they certainly did. Virginia Tech Football Recruiting | The Key Play An offensive lineman: The Hokies have 16 in the room right now, but only one is a senior (Jesse Hanson) and only three more have junior designations (Kaden Moore, Parker Clements and Bob Schick). Presented by, 2024 tight end Cameron Clark took his first visit to Virginia Tech in late January after picking up a December offer. Copeland is a 6-foot-4, 195-pound from Appomattox. The NFL Combine runs from Tuesday, February 28 through Monday, March 6. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 6-4 / 305, DL / 230, LB / 205, RB / Were looking for possibly a running back to come in and compete with Malachi and Chance (Black) and those guys and make that room better, Pry said. That doesnt mean were not going to sign some guys from outside we did, and we will but an emphasis on homegrown talent. @CoachPryVT @TylerBowen @CoachShawnQuinn @HokiesFB pic.twitter.com/tCR903bBkM, Zeke Wimbush (@zekewimbush7) December 19, 2022. All Hokie, All the Time. READ MORE, Virginia Tech hasn't signed an Ohio recruit since 2014, but with most of Ohio falling within the 6-hour radius, that should change. The Portsmouth product is a former basketball player who didnt start playing football until his junior year, earning a camp offer from Norfolk State, where he caught 67 passes for 1,062 yards and nine touchdowns the past two years, with seven scores last season. And you go down the road and theres a coach youve known for 20 years and you can say, Tell me about that guy. And he says, Coach, thats a heck of a ball player. Ultimately, it wasnt enough. 6-2 / Tech Sidelines content of this years signing day includes a podcast around 3:30 p.m. 6-1 / Prys focus upon his hiring was to rebuild relationships within the Commonwealth. We just know more about these guys. 6-2 / Hokies add 25 signees, welcome three transfers on National Signing Day He has that mentality to play this position at a high level.. I dont want somebody thats afraid of competition. The Hokies now have six confirmed seniors who are taking advantage of their additional year of eligibility from the COVID-19 season. 2023 Virginia Tech Football Commitment List Total Commitments 26 6-6 / And you want guys that want to compete. 6-4 / On3 Football Recruiting. GO HOKIES!!! 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. 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. 2023 Virginia Tech Football Schedule | FBSchedules.com Virginia Tech Football Schedule OVERALL 0-0 ACC 0-0 By purchasing tickets using the affiliate links below, you'll help support. In this article, we'll analyze some overall thoughts about the class from head coach Brent . Hes going to make us better. Added to last years haul that included freshman phenom Mansoor Delane and promising youngsters Cam Johnson and Devin Alves, it feels like Tech has set up its secondary for future success better than any other position, particularly when you consider returners like Dorian Strong, Nasir Peoples and Jalen Stroman. Virginia Tech football is putting a stamp on its 2023 signing class with as good of a finish as you could. By Tim Weaver | February 27, 2023 1:37 pm ET. Virginia Tech Releases 2023 Football Schedule Virginia Tech Hokies Defensive Back Chamarri Conneris participating in the 2023 NFL Combine, looking to boost his stock ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft. All original material and images are copyrighted by TechSideline.com and may not be reused or reprinted without permission. The Hokies have been recruiting Walker for quite some time, but the offer has finally come through. Be sure to follow our coverage of National Signing Day on Twitter:Tech Sideline,Chris Coleman,Will Stewartand David Cunningham. Though none is ranked better than a three-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite, all four are 652nd or higher nationally, boosting what had been a solid but not spectacular class in the final month, with the Hokies now up to 34th in the national team rankings and sixth in the ACC. 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.. Bodie Kahoun recently picked up an offer from Virginia Tech, and the Roanoke native will be in Blacksburg tonight. 1 ranked player in Ontario, per 247. (As someone whos technically coming in as a walk-on, the Hokies couldnt comment publicly on him, thus his absence from Wednesdays signing day fanfare.). Football Nov 11 TBA. Though both are 6-foot-2, joining the 6-5 Felton, getting bigger wasnt necessarily a primary objective of the Hokies coaches. Lewis plays running back at Salem High School in Salem, Virginia. Overall, the Hokies signed 13 players from Virginia, and three of the four transfers are from the Commonwealth. A ranking of the 2023 Best College Football Players in West Virginia. 6-3 / And Florida State made a late push for linebacker Caleb Woodson. Lord Botetourt Contingent Makes The Trip Theres a fairly even split between safeties (Johnson, Krystian Williams and Phillips) and cornerbacks (Lovett, Fleming, Cotman and Thomas Williams), though the Hokies preference is simply for players who can cover at any spot in the secondary like last year with Mansoor Delane, who came in as a safety and ended up starting and thriving at cornerback. His size, athleticism and football IQ had him extremely undervalued. The 6-foot-2, 260-pound Varner was a first-team All-AAC performer at Temple in 2022 and can slide inside on passing downs. 280, PRO / While no one will confuse Virginia Tech's incoming class with Alabama . -, IOL / Virginia Tech football: Hokies land 4-star JUCO pass-rusher James VTScoop - Virginia Tech Hokies Football and Recruiting Stay up to date with all the Virginia Tech Hokies sports news, recruiting, transfers, and more at 247Sports.com 247Sports. Findlayter is the No. Heath looks like a future star. 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. 236, RB / In addition to some final high school targets, the Hokies are still pursuing several transfers Temple defensive lineman Darian Varner and Norfolk State receiver DaQuan Felton are a couple to watch in the short term, with former five-star Tony Grimes out of UNC an automatic take if Tech were somehow able to beat out some heavyweights and convince him to come here. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Shannon Lewis. Below is a graphical representation of how our formula works. Tralon Mitchell is another who could up at running back, wide receiver, or on defense. He had 729 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, 840 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns and 17 catches for 338 yards and three touchdowns, showing plenty of athletic chops for someone his size.