Hokies Aim for a Win in the Richmond Area By Trying to Sign 2015 DE Darrell Taylor

Shane Beamer can help sustain Virginia Tech's momentum recruiting the Richmond area if he can manage to reel in 2015 defensive end Darrell Taylor of Hopewell High School. However, Beamer is fighting some stiff competition for Taylor's services. The Hokies are part of Taylor's top five schools along with Ohio State, Tennessee, Florida and South Carolina.

But Tech has been on Taylor's radar since the Hokies offered him back in January, and his interest in the school intensified after he visited for the team's season opener against William and Mary.

"That was his third visit to Tech, as he got to come up for the spring game and once in the winter to see the campus," said Hopewell head coach Ricky Irby. "When he went up to the concession stand, he had fans coming up to him, recognizing him, and he thought that was really cool."

Taylor seemed particularly impressed with how enthusiastic Hokie fans were when they approached him.

"They'd see me and ask if I was a recruit, and then tell me what a good place it was to be," Taylor said. "The atmosphere was really intense too."

The Hopewell senior also got plenty of encouragement from Tech players that showed him around before the game.

"I got to talk to Kendall Fuller, C.J. Reavis, Marshawn Williams, that big running back of theirs," Taylor said. "And Dadi Nicolas, a defensive end like me. Just some great players that all told me great things about the school."

Taylor also credits his relationship with the coaching staff as a major factor in what's made the Hokies one of his top schools. Beamer may be leading his recruitment, but he's also frequently heard from defensive line coach Charley Wiles, defensive coordinator Bud Foster and even outside linebackers coach Cornell Brown.

"I got to talk to Coach Wiles before the game, and he was explaining the defense to me a little, and Coach Beamer was telling me about all the players," Taylor said. "When they can, they've come visit me. One time, they even shot around with me when I was in our gym."

But Taylor isn't just hearing from Tech's staff about the benefits of choosing the Hokies. Hopewell recently added a former Hokie to its staff that's gotten in Taylor's ear a little bit.

"We just hired a former Hokie, Jonathan Lewis, as our defensive line coach," Irby said. "He's definitely giving (Taylor) some tips."

However, he hasn't leaned on Taylor too hard about heading to Blacksburg just yet.

"He just gives me little tips here and there about my technique or the recruiting process," Taylor said. "He's played a big part on the staff so far."

It would seem that Taylor — rated a 4-star recruit by the 247Sports Composite ranking — has the athleticism to do whatever he wants on the field, but could benefit from some of Lewis' advice when it comes to the little things.

"He's very athletic, 6'4" and 225 pounds, he runs a 4.5 40 (yard dash)," Irby said. "But he's still pretty raw. He played basketball up until last year when he got really serious about football."

Taylor's speed has some team's convinced that he'd be a good fit at outside linebacker instead of defensive end, or even on offense.

"He can play DE, but he's got the versatility to play outside linebacker," Irby said. "He has the athletic ability to make any transition. Some even like him as a flex tight end, that's where Ohio State likes him."

But Taylor says he's most comfortable playing defense, and that's where Irby sees him staying.

"I think he's best at defensive end, and I think he ends up there," Irby said. "Most schools are recruiting him there, the Hokies see him there."

Irby thinks his explosiveness will make him very effective on the defensive line, even if he does need to tighten up some technical issues.

"He's got a great burst and first step, but he does need to get a little better using his hands," Irby said. "He can get to the edge easily, but he needs to be better technique-wise."

With plenty to work on, it would seem that Taylor doesn't want to waste any time this season making his decision.

"I'm going to make my decision on our homecoming night, the last Friday in September," Taylor said.

That means Hokie fans will only have to wait until September 26 to find out if Beamer can add this very prominent Richmond player to the program's rapidly developing 2015 class.