Virginia Tech Football: November Recruiting Update
Is 2014 the best year ever for high school talent in the state of Virginia? It sure could be with three of the nation's top 10 players, according to 247Sports, residing in the Commonwealth.
With that type of talent in the state, the Virginia Tech Hokies should clean up and have one of their best recruiting classes ever, right?
Well, perhaps, but not because all of the in-state talent is staying home.
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Da'Shawn Hand, a defensive end from Woodbridge, is perhaps the most talented high school player in the country, and many recruiting analysts felt the Hokies were in a good position to land Hand.
Hearts were broken in Blacksburg this summer when Hand eliminated the Hokies from his recruitment. To make things worse, a pair of highly touted quarterbacks, Jacob Park and David Cornwell, spurned the Hokies within just days of Hand's announcement.
The Hokies have rebounded nicely after a tough summer. They now have 22 verbal commitments and are still able to add a few more to the class of 2014.
Key Needs
With a new offensive coaching staff in place for 2013, recruiting the type of players the new coaches needed to fit their system was a priority for this staff in 2014. Offensive line, wide receiver, running back and quarterback were a priority for this class.
Defensively, the Hokies will lose Derrick Hopkins, J.R. Collins and James Gayle along the defensive line after this season. Starting linebackers Jack Tyler and Tariq Edwards depart, too. The Hokies currently have little depth at linebacker in the pipeline. So signing at least two linebackers for this class is also a necessity.
Even with Antone Exum and Kyle Fuller graduating, the secondary is in good shape for the next few seasons. But the Hokies sign defensive backs every year. 2014 is no exception.
Most Important Commits
Holland Fisher, originally a 2013 signee, spent this season at Fork Union to focus on academics. He looks like a future star who will not need to contribute right away. Fellow safety C.J Reavis is another outstanding prospect who should complement Fisher's physical play quite well.
Offensive line coach Jeff Grimes wanted to focus on adding more athletic linemen for this class. He did so, recruiting five prospects to eventually fill out each position. Tackle Brady Taylor looks like the group's top player. At 6'5", 276 pounds, Taylor is athletic and has the frame to easily add 30 more pounds.
A pair of receivers, Javon Harrison and Cameron Phillips, both 4-star prospects, represent a positive change under new receivers coach Aaron Moorehead. A former NFL receiver, Moorehead wanted to recruit high school receivers instead of having former quarterbacks make the switch to receiver in college. In Harrison and Phillips, Moorehead has a pair of polished and athletic wideouts who could make a difference early in their careers.
Defensive tackle Ricky Walker gave a verbal pledge to the Hokies last month and is just the type of defensive tackle Bud Foster loves. He is extremely quick and much stronger than you'd think for an interior defensive lineman who weighs 275 pounds.
Quarterback Andrew Ford, a 4-star recruit, may have been the Hokies' fourth choice, but he is a player on the rise. At 6'3", 198 pounds, the left-handed Ford is a prototypical dropback passer and an underrated athlete. He expects to enroll in January and could be in the mix at quarterback as a true freshman in 2014.
| Holland Fisher | 4 | S | 6'1" | 200 |
| Marshawn Williams | 4 | RB | 5'11 | 215 |
| Javon Harrison | 4 | WR/ATH | 6'1" | 187 |
| D.J. Reid | 4 | RB | 6'1" | 195 |
| Ricky Walker | 4 | DT | 6'2" | 275 |
| C.J. Reavis | 4 | S/ATH | 6'2" | 207 |
| Cameron Phillips | 4 | WR | 6'1" | 181 |
| Vincent Mihota | 4 | DE | 6'4" | 250 |
| Andrew Ford | 4 | QB | 6'3" | 198 |
| Travon McMillian | 3 | DUAL/ATH | 6'1" | 203 |
| Cequan Jefferson | 3 | CB | 5'11" | 175 |
| Kendrick Holland | 3 | WR | 6'3" | 195 |
| Brady Taylor | 3 | OT | 6'5" | 276 |
| Xavier Burke | 3 | TE | 6'4" | 247 |
| Colt Pettit | 3 | G | 6'4" | 260 |
| Billy Ray Mitchell | 3 | G | 6'4.5" | 285 |
| Eric Gallo | 3 | C | 6'3" | 280 |
| Jaylen Bradshaw | 3 | WR | 6'1" | 178 |
| Shawn Payne | 3 | S | 6'3" | 180 |
| Greg Stroman | 3 | ATH | 6'0" | 162 |
| Terrell Edmunds | 3 | CB | 6'2" | 186 |
| Tyrell Smith | 3 | OT | 6'5" | 265 |
Most Important Targets
The Hokies can only take a few more players in this class. The exact number is still unknown. However, a few players remain high on the Hokies' list.
Defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi is a must-get for this class. After being rebuffed by Hand, Andrew Brown and Jalyn Holmes, getting Nnadi to Blacksburg is crucial. It is an outstanding year for defensive linemen in the state of Virginia, and Nnadi may end up being the best of this group. He and Walker could form a duo reminiscent of current starters Luther Maddy and Hopkins.
Linebacker Raymon Minor could be just as important as Nnadi. The Hokies have yet to secure a verbal commitment from a linebacker, and Minor is their top choice. He could be a redshirt candidate in 2014 and will need to bulk up at the next level.
Fellow linebacker Jacorien Payton is another player the Hokies are high on. They have not yet extended a scholarship offer to Payton. One reason could be they are keeping an eye on Payton's academics. Another reason could be the Hokies are waiting to see where they stand with other prospects.
Defensive end/linebacker Melvin Keihn, from Baltimore, is another player VT likes. He currently has Tech in his final three.
Running back Shai McKenzie is one of the top offensive players in Pennsylvania. He is currently out for the season rehabbing a torn ACL but is still being recruited heavily. This summer, McKenzie named Virginia Tech his leader over Pitt and Florida State.
| Derrick Nnadi | 4 | DT | 6'1" | 305 |
| Kentavius Street | 4 | DE | 6'2.5" | 262 |
| Raymon Minor | 4 | LB | 6'3" | 210 |
| Shai McKenzie | 4 | RB | 5'11" | 210 |
| Isaiah Ford | 3 | WR | 6'2" | 170 |
| Melvin Keihn | 3 | DE/OLB | 6'1" | 225 |
Head coach Frank Beamer's appointment of Scot Loeffler as offensive coordinator this season was a good move for recruiting. Yes, the Hokies missed out on Cornwell and Park, but when in the past were they even in contention for such highly ranked, out-of-state quarterback prospects? Plus, Ford could be a real find with Loeffler's tutelage.
So, while the Hokies haven't exactly cleaned up all of the top talent in Virginia this year, they have increased their recruiting footprint, and that could pay off in a big way in 2014 and beyond.
All rankings courtesy of 247Sports.
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