2018 QB Dylan Hopkins Plans to Camp at Tech, Hoping to Follow in His Father's Footsteps

Bud Foster has plenty of experience coaching siblings over his nearly three decades at Virginia Tech, but working with a father and son in Blacksburg is a far less frequent occurrence.

Sure, the longtime defensive coordinator knows what it's like to watch all four Fullers roll through Blacksburg, or oversee the development of all three Edmunds brothers at one point or another. Twenty-five sets of brothers have played at Tech during his tenure, but if the Hokies get serious about the recruitment of 2018 QB Dylan Hopkins of Maryville (Tenn.) HS, he could add to the set of intergenerational Hokies on his record.

"As a kid growing up, I used to go to the games and spend time with all the coaches, just checking out Virginia Tech," Hopkins told The Key Play. "I'm living it right now, as far as being a recruit."

Indeed, Hopkins' dad, Archie, played outside linebacker for Tech from 1988 to 1990 as part of Frank Beamer's very first recruiting class. Now, Dylan is headed to Blacksburg for a camp this weekend, hoping for an offer from the school that he's been around his whole life.

Justin Fuente may be the one running things now at Tech, but with Foster still around, Hopkins is thrilled by the thought of someday playing for the man who mentored his dad back in the day.

"It feels great, just knowing that he coached my dad and my dad went there," Hopkins said. "Just knowing that if I go there, it'll be the same thing as far as family. I feel real comfortable with him, so if I ever need to talk about anything with him, it'll be great to be able to go to him."

Hopkins notes that his dad still talks to his old coach "all the time," giving him a chance to grow up while getting to know Foster.

"I love seeing him every time I go to Tech, and so does my dad, they're tight," Hopkins said.

But Foster only got his first chance to meet with Hopkins in Blacksburg as a football coach rather than just a family friend as the Hokies opened spring practice at the end of March.

The Hopkins duo trekked down to Southwestern Virginia to get a look at how Fuente and new offensive coordinator Brad Cornelsen run things on offense, and the younger Hopkins was enamored with his glimpse at Tech's practice.

"It's just a lot of fast motion, high intensity, really fast paced," Hopkins said.

Hopkins only got to chat with Fuente briefly during the practice itself, but from what he saw from the new head Hokie, he came away intrigued with the man filling Beamer's shoes.

"He's really really cool, he's not like a screamer at first, he's really calm about things," Hopkins said. "I feel like he's gonna be a really good recruiter too, which is gonna be good for the Hokies."

Instead, Hopkins spent the bulk of the time getting to know Cornelsen, who's taken the lead as his primary recruiter so far.

"He said he loved everything about my film, but the main thing he liked was my athleticism, which really helps a lot as far as their offense and me being a dual threat," Hopkins said. "That's the main thing he loved about me is how athletic I am, he said."

Given what Cornelsen told the QB about the offense that he's busy installing in Blacksburg, it would seem that favorable evaluation bodes well for Hopkins' future at Tech.

"As far as their coaching style, I know Coach Cornelsen was telling me that all their quarterbacks are all dual threat, which works out for me, because I'm a dual threat," Hopkins said. "Everything could be really different, just really high tempo."

But even with that initial high praise and his family ties, it's hardly a done deal that Hopkins has earned a VT offer. That's part of what will make this visit for the Hokies' first summer camp of the year in Blacksburg so pivotal for Hopkins, as Cornelsen will get his first real chance to see what the rising junior is made of.

"Coach Cornelsen really wants me to come up for camp and watch me throw and check me out," Hopkins said. "Any quarterback, he has to watch them throw before he offers them."

If Cornelsen does pull the trigger this weekend or soon after, it'd make Tech the first program to extend a scholarship to Hopkins, though he notes he's visited both Kentucky and N.C. State over the last few months and both have shown interest.

Yet even with other suitors interested, Hopkins admits that an offer from the program he's grown up with would be awfully tough to resist.

"I love everything about Virginia Tech," Hopkins said.