Hokies' 2016 Targets Show Off Their Skills at "The Opening" DC Regional Combine

A number of top prospects headed to Northern Virginia to audition for Nike's premier showcase event.

[Alex Koma]

More than 250 of the nation's top prospects descended on Northern Virginia's Centreville High School Sunday with Oregon on their minds.

The school played host to one of Nike's regional combines, which act as feeders to the company's highly publicized "The Opening" event at its headquarters in Beaverton this summer, and several players targeted by the Hokies were on hand for a chance to earn a West Coast trip.

"That's a kid's dream right there," said Keyvone Bruton, a cornerback at Norfolk's Lake Taylor HS mulling an offer from Tech. "When you see everybody going to 'The Opening,' of course you want to go."

But only seven athletes from the camp earned the chance to make the trip, and of the group, only OL Terrance Davis of DeMatha Catholic (Md.) HS, LB Jaquan Yulee of Indian River (Va.) HS and QB Dwayne Haskins of The Bullis School (Md.) are seriously weighing offers from Tech.

As the lone quarterback invitee, Haskins will get a chance to go through Nike's vaunted "Elite 11" program, a camp series that's attracted 10 of the last 11 QBs to win the Heisman.

"It's just a dream come true," Haskins said. "I didn't think I was going to get invited at first, to be honest with you, I was kind of scared. It's just a great opportunity to have people that went through the Elite 11, where they're going now, so it's great to go out and compete."

Haskins now turns his attention to the Hokies, targeting the school for a return trip Saturday for the team's spring game.

"I've been to Virginia Tech last year with Coach Loeffler, and he's been begging me to come back, so I'll take my mom with me this time," Haskins said.

But even though only a handful of athletes got the chance to earn "Opening" invites, a number of other prominent prospects offered by the Hokies got to show off their skills before some of Nike's top scouts.

OT Josh Ball of Stafford (Va.) Senior HS had a big a day overall, getting chosen to participate in the "Final 5" lineman competition that pitted the camp's top OL group versus its top defensive linemen.

"It was good competition out here, I think I did really well," Ball said. "I made to the 'Final 5' and it was good work."

Ball shared first team duties at left tackle with Jauan Williams, another OT with a Hokies offer on the table, so it's hardly a surprise that Tech's staff is agitating to get him back on campus.

Bud Foster and Stacy Searels both stopped by his school on April 15 during a recruiting trip for the whole staff, and they said they're making Ball a priority this cycle.

"I'm the number one guy for them, and they need offensive linemen," Ball said.

He last visited for a Junior Day in February, and while he has yet to return to campus this spring, he is hoping to travel back to Blacksburg this summer.

DT Joe Goff of Episcopal (Va.) HS is in a similar situation. He too last saw Tech this winter, but is targeting a summer return date.

"I plan to get back there, with my family if I can, because they're going to be part of my decision," Goff said. "The transportation is tough, but I want to get down there if I can."

Since Episcopal's status as a boarding school keeps Goff away from his family for most of the year, that makes summer the easiest time for him to get down to Blacksburg, but that doesn't mean the recruiting process is easy so far away from home.

"It's going to be easier in the summer because I'll be home and we can fly out if we need to, but it's tough. It really is tough," Goff said. "My coach tries to help does what he can for us, but what I appreciate the most is him taking the time out of his day to bring us to the schools we're most interested in."

Goff came away impressed with the Hokies after his last visit, but he's also giving Navy a hard look after they offered a few weeks ago.

"I like the draw of being able to serve my country and also play some good football at the same time," Goff said. "The country deserves some good leaders, and I feel like I can be that. And playing football with them as they move to the new conference would be fun, just getting on the team and trying to make a difference."

Goff should be able to make a difference on the field wherever he goes, given his size. One coach at the camp compared his hands to "cinder blocks" during drills, and Tech DT commit Tim Settle even stopped by to give him some pointers on how to direct those massive hands most effectively.

But Goff faced some stiff competition when it came time for the one-on-one OL vs. DL drills later in camp. He was stonewalled by "Opening"-invitee Davis on this particular go-round.

WR Tino Ellis of DeMatha Catholic HS also came away from the day wishing he'd done better on some of the drills.

"I think I did ok, I can do better," Ellis said.

He spent some time working with the top group of receivers in the camp's half skeleton drills, but he was clearly hoping to earn that "Opening" invite over fellow Maryland receiver Trevon Diggs of Rockville's The Avalon School.

Now he turns his attention back to his recruitment, which continues to feature the Hokies and the Terps locked in a tight battle for his services.

Elis says he'll "probably" make it down for Tech's spring game this weekend, and is hoping to see something new on campus after his last visit for a Junior Day this February.

"I want to see something different," Ellis said. "Just something new on campus with the coaches and something like that."

Specifically, Ellis wants to hear more from new Tech WR coach Zohn Burden. Aaron Moorehead was Ellis' former lead recruiter, but now he says he's looking forward to learning more about Burden.

"I'm still working with him, still talking to him and trying to see what he's doing with the receivers," Ellis said.

Burden has also become one of the main men for Phillip Patterson, a WR/S out of Virginia Beach's Bayside HS.

"He was my recruiter for ODU and I built a good relationship with him," Patterson said. "I talk to him pretty often, and I'm just very cool with him."

Like Ellis, Patterson is planning a trip to Tech's spring game this weekend, and is hoping to get a taste of the atmosphere that's made Lane Stadium famous over the years.

"I plan on seeing that live atmosphere that I've been hearing about," Patterson said. "Just to see the whole stadium and everything is exciting."

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