Virginia Tech picked up the freshman transfer from Marshall University this morning. According to 247 he was not widely recruited due to academics and enrolled at Marshall where he was ruled academically ineligible. However, he has since fixed his grades and is following Coach J.C. Price to Virginia Tech.
He's listed as 6'3" and 215 pounds, out of Mallard Creek in Charlotte, NC. To me, he sounds like the kind of recruit we would have picked out of Fork Union a decade ago, and still has full eligibility (I believe) because of the COVID rules.
Links Below:
https://247sports.com/Article/Virginia-Tech-Hokies-football-commitment-N...
https://twitter.com/CjMccray4/status/1375065985280016384?s=20
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Comments
That's odd. Usually it's VT feeding Marshall players.
If it wasn't for him being a non qualifier he woulda been a high 3 low 4 star
Yeah I can't evaluate players but Marshall is known for taking chances on guys that other schools wouldn't touch (be it former VT players, Randy Moss, etc.) - and so to get a guy who probably didn't care about grades early in school only to work his ass off to get into Marshall, probably has the talent and work ethic to thrive here.
pretty sure mallard creek is one of the top high school programs in the Charlotte area fwiw
Yes. Competes for best in the state at the top level.
This whole time I thought "Kville" meant Knoxville and not Kernersville, in your name. I learn something new every day.
So a swap deal for Tavante Beckett....eventually? And younger, I see what you did there CJF
Getting JC Price in the fold is already paying dividends - according to sauces, the kid was a beast in practice and having a former Marshall staff member gave us an inside track before the rest of the world found out.
This is a big-time pickup folks.
We are absolutely stacking our LB room with new body types and young talent. I'm sure there will be some kind of thinning out in the next couple years, but we are rebuilding that room with a different profile of athlete. To me it seems like we want to be longer at both positions, and the backer position is starting to look more and more like a hybrid safety. I'm hoping by sheer force of numbers/competition we will find several big hits from that group.
edit: From the 2021 class I expect Isi Etute, Jaden Keller, Will Johnson, Keli Lawson, Jordan, and Jayden McDonald to all get looks at LB, even if they don't all stick there. Then you add transfer CJ McCray to that fold. Plus Lakeem Rudolph has walked down from safety into that Backer discussion and joining the LB room as well.
French stated so often we didn't have the linebackers for J-Ham's new defense, and they would be exposed. They got exposed last year. This is exciting to see and hear the changes being made in the defense. If only we had a spring game to check it out...
I wouldn't be surprised if some of the bigger build guys move down to DE like Barno. Then you can kick some of the bigger DE inside, and like that you've kinda built some depth.
At least now we have Barno who has a much better track record than Jaylen Griffen's move (although if that happened earlier under T&T I think he could have succeeded more too).
We are absolutely stacking our LB room with new body types...we are rebuilding that room with a different profile of athlete.
I would say they are trying to change the look of the DL as well. Offenses of the better teams are so diverse it's really impractical to cover all of the gaps, all of the time. Used to be, it was "let's stop the run and make them throw". Today the opponent is like, "hey, they are going to just let us throw the jump ball!"
Lawson, the McDonalds, Rudolph all in that 6'3 to 6'5 range. Etute, Keller, and Johnson are also guys who are long and can run.
Yeah that 6'3-6'5 guy who has some coverage ability, run defender size, and length and bend to come off the edge makes your defenses a lot more adaptable to modern offenses. Those hybrid edge defenders create a lot of ways to readjust your formation and points of attack even when the offense prevents you from subbing.
Very different body type. Long arms (really long arms.) He has had time to develop from high school, but even in high school he had a P5 frame. He has really good speed, and looks like a guy who can be an impact pass rusher as a blitzing OLB even just with his frame, speed, and wingspan (much like Barno was very raw, but still found ways to overcome his lack of technique to be effective.)
The only concern for me is that he appeared to play a bit slow- sitting back and reading plays where a runner was alone in space. It is good that he made the safe play, but in HS he should have been turning some of those 5-7 yard gains into no gain/TFL type plays. Again, he has had extra time to learn and hopefully get his head to stop tying up his feet.
I am tied up for the next few days (my dad is having a procedure), but if I can swing it, I will do a more detailed film review.
best of luck to your dad
Thank you. Early word is no stents are needed, and he will have to come back for the aortic valve replacement (I thought that was happening today, but it isn't.) Mom is at the hospital and I am in a hotel in downtown Hooville waiting to hear more information from her.
French, if there's anything I can do or get for you while you're here, just reach out. I'm 10 minutes away. Would be happy to help. Been where you're at brother.
Appreciate it. He is through today's procedure, but I have not heard details about the results. His cardiologist in Bristol felt like he may need an aortic valve replacement, so if the cath confirms that need, he will have another procedure in the near future.
Hope the results are good for him. My dad went through several issues related to heart failure, so I know how stressful it can be. I'd be happy to drop anything by, my job is close, and I live w/in 30 min. Or if you need local info, will do what I can.
***PLEASE NOTE- While I compare him to Barno, I am not suggesting that he will be a defensive end. I think he is an intriguing edge rusher from the boundary, especially if OLs key to Barno on the field side. Barno (linebacker experience) could drop into a zone blitz (Jon Tenuta is known for creative zone blitz designs) with McCray coming off the opposite edge. It is intriguing.
Also, Alan Tisdale now has competition. I believe Dean Ferguson was the only other backer on the roster, and big Dean is still very raw at linebacker.
Hope your father is well soon.
Dean was a high school hammer, was hoping he would get in the rotation, I guess he outgrew safety? - Tisdale definitely needs competition.
Thank you.
Would an LB-only version of Dadi Nicolas be a fair comp?
Think more long speed. He isn't quite as tall as Barno, but looks stronger. He has similar speed, but like Barno he takes a bit to get going.
Ah gotcha. So somebody who makes sense as a blitzing LB instead of an edge rusher.
Looks like he has room to add some weight, good thing we have a new nutritional facility to go with our all college dining halls...
This is a good pick up that is also for an area (Charlotte) that VT should be mining harder for talent.