More on Josh Sweat's Official Visits from ESPN

The following are some excerpts followed by my thoughts from an ESPN insider article ($): http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/ncfrecruiting/on-the-trail/post/_/id/573....

Jeremy Crabtree provided some good insights on Sweat's finalists.

Sweat insists he does not have a leader, but earlier this month at The Opening he identified several things he will be looking at on his official visits.

"Everybody will have amazing facilities, so for me, the visits are going to be about finding the right fit," said Sweat, who plans to enroll early and play spring football at the school he eventually selects. "I want to look at the academics. I want to explore how they support their athletes academically and help them be successful in the classroom. I'm also going to look at the different schemes, too. I want to find a place where they can have had a lot of success using defensive ends like me.

I think Tech's graduation rate speaks for itself. Tech's scheme thrives on having an end that can fly off the line of scrimmage.

"I also want to play in the NFL, so that'll be another thing I looking at is how the coaches develop their recruits and get them ready for the NFL."

Tech's struggled to place defenders outside of the secondary in the NFL. However, it's a bit of a chicken and egg thing as the Hokies haven't had a talent like Sweat come through Blacksburg in quite some time. Wiles and Foster are two of the best at developing talent, and the staff will have to figure out how to sell that despite some recent struggles.

People close to Sweat quietly are calling Virginia Tech the leader, but Sweat himself has never labeled the Hokies as the team to beat.

I have high hopes, but...

At The Opening, Sweat talked glowingly of Ohio State assistant coach Larry Johnson, and his track record with prospects in Virginia is well documented. Sweat also had high praise of Georgia after taking a mid-summer unofficial visit to Athens. Don't sleep on Oregon, especially with their facilities and the ability to sell a top prospect on the "coolness" of the school, but Eugene, Oregon, is a long way from Chesapeake, Virginia.

Another school to pay close attention to is Florida State. The Seminoles rolled out the red carpet on a recent visit, and Jimbo Fisher has become personally involved in Sweats recruitment. It also doesnt hurt that FSU is coming off a national championship and projected to do big things again in 2014

These other four teams are going to be tough to beat out.