Saturday will mark the biggest recruiting day for the Hokies this season, and maybe even the calendar year. The Hokies will host some of their biggest targets for the 2021 class, as well as 2020 commits and prospects and some potential 2022 and 2023 targets. Here's a list of the recruits visiting for the Carolina game (Recruit - Position -School - Region): *Disclaimer: This is not an official list
2020:
CJ Beasley (commit) - RB - Maury - 757
Tyree Saunders (commit) - WR - First Coast - Northeast Florida
Noah Kim (commit) - QB - Westfield - NoVA
Ramon Copeland, Jr. - WR - Oscar Smith - 757
Gary Smith III - DT - Shelbyville - Tennessee
Derek Bermudez (FSU commit) - CB - Sandalwood - Northeast Florida
Max McClendon - RB - University Christian - Northeast Florida
2021:
Andrew Canelas - OT - Leesville Road - Central NC
Maurice Freeman - DB/LB - Oscar Smith - 757
Naquan Brown - DE - Ocean Lakes - 757
Christopher Johnson - TE - Ribault - Northeast Florida
Bryce Carter - DE - Thomas Dale - Richmond
Walter Simmons III - QB - Oakleaf - Northeast Florida
Javon McIntyre - DB - Imhotep Institute - Philly
Pat Bryant - WR - Atlantic Coast - Northeast Florida
2022:
Enai White - ATH - Imhotep Institute - Philly
Prince Williams, Jr. - WR - Woodgrove - NoVA
Paul Hutson - OG - Maury - 757
JaVawn Burden, Jr. - WR - Princess Anne - 757
2023:
Orel Gray - CB - University Christian - Northeast Florida
The biggest name for Hokies fans to keep in their minds now is Naquan Brown. He's a top 5 DE in the nation and will probably be the number one target in the 2021 class for Bud Foster's successor.
Another name to watch is Christopher Johnson. Johnson is a lanky, downfield playing tight-end much like James Mitchell. He's highschool teammates with current Hokies commit Keonta Jenkins, so the Hokies are for sure in the running.
Enai White is the #1 player in the state of PA for 2022, and a freak athlete. 6'4", 210lbs., plays DE, LB, anything he really wants, truthfully.
Andrew Canelas is a very very big kid. He's 6'8", 303lbs. That's gotta make Vance Vice stare off into the distance and daydream a little.
Gary Smith III is a good DT prospect that plays a lot like Ricky Walker. This weekend is his official visit. He has his choices down to the Hokies and Duke. He would be a really good addition to the 2020 class, and could help develop some depth at a position that the Hokies have really struggled with the past 2-3 seasons.
Big weekend in terms of getting some top-end guys to Blacksburg. 6'8" 303lbs. big, to be exact.
Comments
PLEASE PLEASE steal this kid. There was once Reavis Island and Exum Daycare, I want a Bermudez Triangle where footballs that try to pass through never make it to their destination.
I didn't know I desperately needed this until now.
This is the most important thing I've heard today.
Jeez that's a good look
I'm going to be really busy tweeting at all of these guys. /s
+1 for initiative
-1 for maybe being serious
+1 for acting like an SEC booster
-1 for tweeting @ recruits
Nah, SEC boosters don't tweet at them, they Venmo them.
Hopefully we pull out a big win. We can't have another Duke performance in Lane on a big recruiting day
Canelas has made multiple visits to VT fyi
Heck yes people!! I've got my Hardee's coupons ready!!
can I get some of those? lol I got a van full of kids to feed. I'm sure they would appreciate that, they get tired of those Hilton powder eggs and make your own waffles pretty quick lol
Take them to Carol Lee Donuts. Can't beat it.
I'd also recommend Joe's Diner, but that place is usually packed.
That's gotta be a recruiting violation because how could any kid not pick VT after getting Carol Lee's?
ALL MAROON EVERYTHING FOR THE CROOTS FAM
Desmond Evans (#2 overall in ESPN 300) 5* DE just committed to UNC (we were in the final 4)
They're looking to have possibly a Top 15 recruiting class this year.
Strong DL class.
Good thing we're doing what we can to keep pace
Relentlessly complaining on the internet?
Seriously what in the hell do we have to do to compete on the recruiting trail? This is a team that won two games last year.
UNC is one of the most iconic brands in college athletics. Michigan, Oklahoma, and Florida's athletic teams wear Jumpman and that speaks to the power of the Jordan brand, which will always be tied back to UNC. We all love Virginia Tech but our brand and national recognition is not in the same ballpark. Also, I've seen posters speculate on the overall talent in the 757 potentially decreasing with declining industry in that region. It's probably worth recognizing that Raleigh-Durham is one of the fastest growing metro areas in the country and it happens to be UNC's backyard.
Elite recruiting isn't guaranteed at UNC- and that's the case at very few, if any, schools- but they have shown to have a relatively high floor in recruiting and a higher ceiling than VT, routinely bringing in elite talent and achieving top 15 classes. Even at the peak of our ACC success under Beamer, Butch Davis still brought in multiple top 20 classes with an apathetic football fanbase and multiple terrible seasons over the course of two separate head coaches, Carl Torbush and John Bunting.
Mack Brown had a lot of success at UNC the first time around and it looks like he's been able to reestablish his connections and that his message is resonating with recruits right now. I don't think it's a good thing for VT since our talent level will likely suffer, but I don't believe it's time to have a conniption based on what's happening at UNC up to this point either. As an example, I would point to Mark Richt's tenure at Miami, where he brought in a couple highly ranked recuiting classes and looked to have the team on the verge of national title contention, only to be out of coaching one year later.
But to trump all that, their football culture is LAME. And that is huge IMHO
Wrong recruiting thread. This one is about all the kids coming to visit Tech.