So I had the day off and was feeling a little bored. I have been posting updates about 2018 recruits, but with spots at a premium, most of our remaining targets are higher profile guys that seem like they'll be waiting to announce until after their senior seasons. I figured I would go ahead and share my thoughts on the 2019 class to give us something else to look forward to and dream wildly about. The 2019 class is the one I have personally had bookmarked as Fuente's big class to get VT back on the map. With good in state talent and a second year on the books being able to show recruits our shiny new offense and sell them on the trajectory of our program. So without further ado, here would be my ideal recruiting class for 2019 (obligatory reminder that this post is totally without #sauce...dry rub only).
| Name | Position | Stars | Composite Score | Notes |
| Devyn Ford | RB | 4 | 0.9762 | Warm, 9/30 visit |
| Jordan Houston | RB | 3 | 0.8728 | Warm |
| Tayvion Robinson | WR | 4 | 0.9227 | 757 |
| Jacoby Pinckney | WR | 4 | 0.919 | Warm |
| Tiquest Terry | WR | Blacksburg, not yet offered | ||
| Larry Hodges | TE/HB? | 3 | 0.8778 | "Dream School" |
| Nick Gallo | TE | 3 | 0.8216 | 6/17, 9/30 visit, Hokie Brother |
| Quinn Carroll | OT | 4 | 0.9644 | Hokie Brother |
| Donavan Beaver | OT | 3 | 0.8556 | VA, 9/30 visit |
| Antoine Whitner | OT | 3 | 0.8333 | Richmond |
| Savion Jackson | DE | 4 | 0.9738 | 9/30 visit |
| Brandon Smith | DE | 4 | 0.9642 | Warm, 4/13, 9/30 visit |
| Ben Smiley | DT | 4 | 0.9067 | 757, Indian River, 9/30 visit |
| Adarious Jones | DT | 3 | 0.8778 | 757, Bishop Sullivan, 6/17 visit |
| Drake Thomas | ILB | 3 | 0.8878 | Joe Kane's HS, 9/30 visit |
| Ah'Shawn Moore | OLB | 4 | 0.9075 | 757, Indian River |
| Cam'Ron Kelly | CB | 4 | 0.9488 | 757 |
| Myles Bell | CB | 3 | 0.8778 | 6/15 visit |
| Nick Cross | S | 3 | 0.8728 | Dematha, MD |
| Litchfield Ajavon | ATH/S | 4 | 0.9303 | VA |
| Jahad Carter | WR/DB | Committed |
A few notes:
1. I think this class still needs another OL and a QB. QB isn't imperative with Jackson, Hooker, and Patterson in the 3 previous years, but I think it's a good practice to try and get 1 decent QB in each class. As for OL...we need all of them.
2. Kids I am most excited about in this class:
-Ford - program changing running back, top priority for the staff, fun tape (though I wouldn't sleep on Houston, also has great tape and is very productive, would love to have room for both, not sure it would happen though)
-Ajavon - his tape is amazing, as a sophomore he looks like a college kid playing HS JV kids, he hits like a truck.
-Kelly - he's my number 1 CB, has a nose for the football, always in good position.
-All four D-linemen...that would be a scary group.
-Terry - he's not offered yet, but looks like a fun kid to watch. Would love to see him in the slot with guys like Pimpleton and Ellis.
-Thomas - another kid who hits like a truck. I'm not sure about his coverage skills, looks like he might be a little slow, but a great run stuffer, could make a good Mike I think.
-Hodges - not a typical size for a TE, but does a little bit of everything in his tape, possible H-back candidate for CornFu
-Pinckney - Would love to start getting a string of highly rated 6-3/6-4 receivers to play on the outside, seems like Clemson has been successful with that...hopefully he follows Tre Turner to the Hokies.
3. Not sure we actually have a shot with Carroll, but his older brother was a Hokie, and it would be awesome to start getting even 1 highly rated OL in a class. I think it would help if Teller got drafted highly. Hoping Rasheed Walker can be a trend setter in 2018.
4. The average 247 Composite rating for this class would be right around a .9000. With 23 kids that would make this class right around a top 10 class (based on the 2017 class rankings on 247).
Would love to hear people's thoughts, hopes, criticisms, etc. Happy TKPing!
Comments
You're doing the Lord's work, Brookland. Thank you!
I love Tech's 2018 class but this class is set up to blow my mind
I really like Savion Jackson's sophomore film.
No Tayvion Land?
I considered adding him, and am definitely keeping my eye on him. I just really can't fathom a 5' 8" CB being highly effective in the ACC. He's an athletic freak, and I'm sure he has great technique, but that will only get you so far when you're lined up with a 6' 4" receiver who's also a D1 athlete with great technique. I would love to see him come here and prove me wrong though.
Hopefully he's got at least 2 more inches to grow for his sake.
Wait.. a Hodges who isn't the typical TE size and not 7' 17"? Blashemy!
Word on the street is that his official measurables are misreported.
Taking a page from OP, and also fully drinking the koolaid:
OT Darnell Wright of Huntington WV
LB Dean Ferguson of Potomac Falls HS
Flip DE Hakeem Beamon of LC Bird (UNCheat)
So, there's a kid here in Harrisonburg (class of 2019) that I think is really flying under the radar. Plays RB, slot, SS, KR for Harrisonburg High School. Strong kid, puts his foot in the ground and gets upfield (sees the field very well), and has a heavy shoulder for his size (loves contact). Best football player on the field every night no matter who the Blue Streaks are playing.
Marcus Robinson-Jenkins
http://www.hudl.com/v/27yF5y
I'm just going to put this here
My progression of thought here...
... Wut?..... Ohhh it's a link..... clicks link*.................. Wut?
I officially would like to announce my non-recruitment by the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Autographs at the door
I don't get the link?
Is?.... is that him?
Yeah that's me, sorry if the joke was in a bit of poor taste
Not poor taste, per se. Just sort of like sharing an inside joke when you're the only person who thinks it's funny.
FTFY
Early on feel very good about Ford, Gallo, Smiley, and Beaver.
Feel pretty good about Houston, Pinckney, and Moore (if he can get his grades together).
Love Camron but he's going to Bama or somewhere on the west coast. We're getting back in the picture with Tank but still have a ways to go.
Thanks for the insight.
Any thoughts on Smith, Ajavon, and Thomas? I have heard that Smith and Ajavon are likely looking for bigger programs out of state, and haven't heard much about Thomas, though I think he was at the Clemson game. Just wondering if we have made any ground on these kids this year.
Smith will big time us and go to PSU or FSU. Ajavon is an episcopal kid so I would be orettty surprised if he ended up here, but admittedly he seems to have interest. Hard to get a read on Drake right now IMO. I know he likes us and the Kane connection helps, but I think he's pretty wide open at this point.
I agree here 100% there are some out of state guys too that could be great additions.
I like the name Traveon Freshwater. He visited for Clemson. I would be cool to have Freshwater standing next to Beaver on the sideline.
ha yeah would be in this vein
Provided that no one gets injured (knock on wood), I think we're looking great from the QB standpoint. So I don't think QB is a high priority for the '19 class. We have JJ, Bush, & Click along with Hooker, Mummau and R. Willis. That entire QB roster is returning, and with Patterson incoming and Ellis who could go under center as well. The future is BRIGHT at the QB position with that group. I think a 2019 gap is just fine provided there's not one out there that is the once in a lifetime, can't miss guy...I'm not saying don't recruit one, but it seems like putting eggs in other important baskets would be better suited for this particular year's class. Let's go get some DUDES that will make these guys look that much better. Honestly, I'd rather roll with guys with college practice and some game exp (Click, Mummau, and Willis) than some mediocre QB that we grabbed just to grab who will likely end up transferring because he likely won't see the field or possibly get into some sort of trouble.
I also wouldn't say it's a huge priority, and I wouldn't offer a kid just to get a warm body at QB, but I would still like to go after a couple of guys that Fuente thinks would fit the system. Yes, barring injuries and transfers, our future QB situation looks great, unfortunately reality doesn't let us do that. If we don't bring anyone in this year, I would say that puts all the more pressure on the next year to make sure we get a quality prospect.
So again, it's not a huge priority, and I wouldn't put a ton of resources into it, but if there are some kids that would fit, I hope we offer and go after some (at this point, only two QB offers are out for 2019 and one of them is already committed to Miss St, as opposed to nine for 2018). If we miss this year, it isn't the end of the world, but with Fuente's track record of coaching up QBs I wouldn't want to miss out on a productive QB just because we already have some good prospects.
It took me a minute to remember Collin Carroll. I was trying to mentally process how CJ Carroll could have a brother big enough to be a 4* T.
Here is a nice piece from ND on the Carroll family.
Dad played TE for the Vikings and Bucs. Good catholic family, they have like 17 kids.
Do we have any shot with kid?
Oh yeah.
If I was a betting man, I'd put $10 on ND, $8 on Minney, $7 on VT and $5 on any other B10 power (Mich, MSU, PSU, OSU).
Sometimes, you connect good catholic kids to ND too easily. Sooner or later, it does occur to some of them that Brian Kelly is a walking hemorrhoid. There is also the situation where ND can't take everyone and they recruit nationally. A top 100 OL recruit potentially could not make the cut (as Walker may not make the cut with PSU this year).