So this class is filling up quickly. It seems like how the rest of the class plays out will determine if this is a decent/good but typical class for us, or possibly a next step in the right direction. The following is my take on the best possible (realistic-ish) class that we would sign at this point. Feel free to agree/disagree/question in the comments:
| Name | Pos. | Stars | Composite Score | Notes |
| Quincy Patterson* | QB | 3 | 0.8744 | |
| Caleb Steward* | RB | 3 | 0.8355 | |
| Tre Turner* | WR | 4 | 0.9335 | |
| Darryle Simmons* | WR | 3 | 0.8747 | |
| DeJuan Ellis* | WR | 3 | 0.861 | |
| James Mitchell | TE | 3 | 0.8878 | 4/8 visit |
| Rasheed Walker | OT | 4 | 0.9499 | in top 6, QP 7v7 teammate |
| TJ Bradley | OT | 3 | 0.8678 | JUCO, 6'8" 290, from VA |
| Jordan McFadden* | OT | 3 | 0.8428 | |
| John Harris* | OG | 3 | 0.8453 | |
| Defense: | ||||
| KJ Henry | DE | 5 | 0.9916 | 4/15 visit, in top 10 |
| Eli Adams* | DE | 3 | 0.8428 | |
| Alim McNeil | DT | 4 | 0.9152 | 4/22 visit, in top 6 |
| Cam Goode* | DT | 3 | 0.8559 | |
| Joe Kane* | DT | 3 | 0.8469 | |
| Dax Hollifield | ILB | 4 | 0.9531 | multiple visits |
| Alan Tisdale* | OLB | 3 | 0.8721 | |
| Keshon Artis | ILB | 3 | 0.8682 | from 757, CB leader |
| Kalon Gervin | CB | 4 | 0.919 | ND de-commit, in top 5 |
| DJ Crossen* | CB | 3 | 0.8696 | |
| Nadir Thompson* | CB | 3 | 0.8616 | |
| Jermaine Waller* | CB | 3 | 0.8462 | |
| Braxton Clark* | CB | 3 | 0.8451 | |
| Chamarri Conner* | S | 3 | 0.8821 | |
| Nasir Peoples* | S | 3 | 0.8428 | |
| Armani Chatman* | ATH | 3 | 0.8799 | |
| Oscar Shadley* | LS | 3 | 0.8556 |
*denotes current commit
Others to keep an eye on:
| Name | Position | Stars | Composite Score | Notes |
| Ronnie Walker | RB | 4 | 0.8969 | 4/1 visit |
| Coleton Beck | RB | 3 | 0.8567 | |
| Jalynn Sykes | RB | 3 | 0.8563 | in top 4 |
| Jeremy Banks | RB | 3 | 0.8388 | |
| Malcolm Davidson | RB | 3 | 0.8386 | in top 6, 4.44 40 |
| Dillon Spalding | WR | 4 | 0.8916 | |
| Bryce Thompson | WR | 3 | 0.8646 | |
| Jeshaun Jones | WR | 3 | 0.8422 | FL |
| Tyree Henry | WR/TE | 3 | 0.8333 | 6' 5" 225, visit 4/1? |
| Herman McCray | TE | 3 | 0.8111 | |
| Jovaughn Gwyn | OG | 3 | 0.8711 | |
| Jordan Redmond | DT | 3 | 0.8316 | |
| Jalen Alexander | DT | 3 | 0.8269 | 757, in top 10 |
| Nik Bonitto | OLB | 4 | 0.93 | |
| Eriq Gilyard | OLB | 3 | 0.8677 | in top 6 |
| Jairus Brents | CB | 4 | 0.9182 | |
| Donte Burton | CB | 3 | 0.8529 | UNC De-Commit |
Other thoughts:
-Out of our top targets, I think our chances are as follows:
Think we land:
Artis, Mitchell, Hollifield, Gervin, Beck (though I wouldn't consider him a top target)
Think we miss:
Walker, Bradley, Gwynn, Henry, McNeill
-My only worries left with this class remain the OL and DT positions (with LB I feel good about getting either Artis or Hollifield, or both). I wouldn't be surprised if we end up offering some lower rated OL during their senior season to try and build some depth. And I like Goode and Kane but still think our DT numbers could use some more bodies.
-I'm really going to be rooting against NC State more than usual in the hopes that we can steal some of their commits/leans, especially; Gonzalez, McNeill (heavy lean), and Graves.
-I'm excited for our WR/TE position in the coming years; Patterson, Kumah, Hazelton, Keene, Deiuliis, Pimpleton, Farley, Ellis, Turner, Simmons. Throw in Mitchell in this class and Pinckney in the next class...what a 180 from only a few years ago.
-Like I said above, if we miss on most of our top remaining targets and fill the rest of the class with mid-range 3 stars I think we finish with a solid class, maybe 25-30 range. But if we can close on a few of these top targets; Hollifield, Gervin, maybe a surprise with McNeill, Walker, or Henry, and I think this class could break into the top 20 range, which I would consider a step in the right direction. No matter what, I love that we now have a more than competent offensive staff that excels at playing to their players' strengths, paired with the best DC in the nation. Regardless of how the rest of this class pans out, the future in Blacksburg is very bright.
Comments
Bravo on your use of tables. It warms the cockles of my heart.
Maybe below the cockles. Maybe in the sub-cockle area.
Every time I tell my PSU friend about how we're gonna flip Slade like Rivers he brings up how Slade is black.
There is no way Fuente is not calling Ricky every week
Go get em JF!
via GIPHY
I'm not getting it. What's his reasoning for bringing that up?
That VT couldn't possibly flip Slade because Rivers is white and the chances of VT flipping a black player compared to a white player is less for some reason
It's dumb I know
You have an idiot friend.
This
Yeah I agree with BrooklandHokie on his assessment of misses vs. gets. Here's to hoping we can put together another solid campaign this year while getting folks in the miss category to jump on board what I believe is going to be the best era of Hokie football over the next 3-4 years.
Would anyone not choose DT if we could excel at landing top100 guys at one position?
I would maybe choose OL. Mostly for the fact that Foster seems to do pretty well with the linemen he gets as it is, but we've never had an OL with multiple (any?) top 100 guys. Maybe it wouldn't make as big of a difference as I think it would, but I've always wondered two things as a VT fan: what would it be like to have a great offensive staff calling plays, and what would it be like to have an elite OL? I think we may have one of those pieces.
I think top OL recruits pan out much less often than DL. Or at least, having a great OL still requires great coaching to work as a unit and have an identity. Grabbing some blue chips might not make that happen. But a Bud Foster DL with multiple Tim Settles or an Ed Oliver? Bud would have a field day
I know it's not likely, but only 2 OL in a class doesn't sit well with me. That only gives us 14 next year.
I expect Fuente to target a JUCO. He's been wonderful filling up need positions like QB last year and WR this year. He also brought in the WR from Ball State (I think it was them). He will address the need.