Virginia Tech Football Recruiting: Meet the Hokies' 2015 Class
Virginia Tech's 2015 recruiting class is complete, and for the Hokies, it's a solid class that possesses a considerable amount of potential, particularly in the trenches.
Overall, Tech signed 24 players. Seven players enrolled last month and will be eligible to participate in spring practice. Per 247Sports, VT's class is ranked No. 29 nationally.
While many around Blacksburg will lament losing out on Josh Sweat, and rightfully so, the Hokies finished strong with commitments from 4-star defensive tackle Tim Settle and 4-star quarterback Dwayne Lawson. Both players could help Tech this fall.
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Settle is a big-time get for the Hokies. The big, burly and athletic tackle from Manassas chose the Hokies over offers from some of the nation's top programs. Settle, if he qualifies, is a three-down defensive tackle capable of disrupting the opposition's running game as well as rushing the passer. Longtime defensive coordinator Bud Foster hasn't had a defensive tackle quite like Settle during his time at Virginia Tech, per The Roanoke Times' Andy Bitter:
Depth in the Trenches
The Hokies signed five offensive linemen but would've liked to have signed at least one or two more. Tech previously had a commitment from Fredrick Johnson, an offensive tackle from West Palm Beach, Florida, but he eventually backed out of his pledge to Tech and signed with Florida.
However, the Hokies did sign five pretty good players, highlighted by 4-star offensive tackle Austin Clark from Lexington, Virginia. Clark, a former South Carolina commit, changed his commitment to Virginia Tech in early November and instantly became a player capable of starting for the Hokies at one of the tackle positions in 2015.
At 6'6", 297 pounds, Clark looks the part. He's big and agile and can easily move defenders in the running game. He enrolled in January and will participate in spring practice. That will help Clark in his bid to become a starter on the Hokies offensive line next fall. He needs an offseason in Tech's strength program.
On the defensive line, Tech signed seven players. While Settle gets most of the press, keep an eye on 4-star tackle Yosuah Nijman. Nijman, who played last season at postgraduate Fork Union, is a 6'7", 280-pounder from Maplewood, New Jersey.
Currently projected to play defensive tackle, Nijman is athletic enough to move outside and play defensive end. He's dominant at the point of attack and will play early in his college career. His best football is ahead of him.
Trevon Hill, a 6'4", 220-pound defensive end from Virginia Beach, Virginia, is another intriguing talent. While Hill needs to add some size, he fits the profile that Virginia Tech likes from its pass-rushers. He's long and athletic and runs like a wide receiver. Fortunately for Hill and the Hokies, Dadi Nicolas and Ken Ekanem return next fall, and Hill could benefit from a redshirt season and an entire year in Tech's weight program.
Dwayne Lawson Is a Potential Superstar
Lawson, a 6'6", 207-pound passer from Hillsborough High in Tampa, Florida, originally committed to Miami. However, offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler stayed ardent in his pursuit of Lawson and flipped him to Tech in early January.
It was a tremendous boost for the class of 2015.
With an unsettled quarterback position, Lawson could figure into the mix next fall. Last year's starter, Michael Brewer, returns. So does Brenden Motley and a pair of redshirt freshmen, Chris Durkin and Andrew Ford. None of those players has extensive experience with the exception of Brewer, and his experience wasn't necessarily good.
Lawson figures to get to Blacksburg sometime this summer. If he can pick up the offense fairly quickly, he could play soon for the Hokies.
Remember the impact Deshaun Watson had as a true freshman for Clemson in 2014? Lawson could have a similar impact for Virginia Tech. He brings skills to the position that his competition lacks.
Lawson has tremendous arm strength and can make any throw on the field. For an athletic high school quarterback, he has good poise in the pocket, too. And rarely does a man of Lawson's size possess his level of elusiveness. Yes, Lawson is fast, but he makes defenders miss like a 5'8", 175-pound scatback.
Lawson is far from a finished product. He will have to become more accurate on his deep throws—he's capable—and add some strength. He's a bit lanky at the moment.
Of course, his mechanics will need work. Every high school passer going to the next level needs help with the finer nuances of the position.
Loeffler has a chance to make Lawson special.
If the Hokies can tailor their offense around Lawson's strengths, he can help them in 2015 and get on the field much sooner than other first-year quarterbacks around the country.
Lawson expects to help Tech next season, per Evan Watkins of 247Sports: “We already have some great defensive players, and I am ready to get us going on offense and have a top-five offense in the country, that's the goal."
| Austin Clark | 6'6" | 297 | Lexington, Va. (Rockbridge) | OT | 4 |
| Yosuah Nijman | 6'7" | 277 | Maplewood, NJ (Fork Union Military Academy) | DT | 4 |
| Tim Settle | 6'2" | 360 | Manassas, Va. (Stonewall Jackson) | DT | 4 |
| Dwayne Lawson | 6'6" | 207 | Tampa, Fla. (Hillsborough) | QB | 4 |
| Mook Reynolds | 6'0" | 175 | Greensboro, NC. (Northern Guilford) | CB | 3 |
| Xavier Burke | 6'4" | 250 | Lawrenceville, Va. (Fork Union) | TE | 3 |
| Carson Lydon | 6'2" | 231 | Tarpon Springs, Fla. (East Lake) | LB | 3 |
| Trevon Hill | 6'4" | 220 | Virginia Beach, Va. (Salem) | DE | 3 |
| Tyrell Smith | 6'4" | 285 | Ramsey, NJ. (Cushing Academy) | G | 3 |
| Tremaine Edmunds | 6'4" | 220 | Ringgold, Va. (Dan River) | OLB | 3 |
| Deshawn McClease | 5'9" | 175 | Chesapeake, Va. (Oscar Smith) | RB | 3 |
| Darius Fullwood | 6'4" | 240 | Olney, Md. (Good Counsel) | DE | 3 |
| Jahque Alleyne | 6'1" | 180 | Virginia Beach, Va. (Ocean Lakes) | S | 3 |
| Adonis Alexander | 6'3" | 192 | Charlotte, NC. (Independence) | S | 3 |
| Adonis Williamson | 6'1" | 190 | Indianapolis, Ind. (Arsenal Technical) | CB | 3 |
| DuWayne Johnson | 6'1" | 160 | Washington, DC. (H.D. Woodson) | CB | 3 |
| Harry Lewis | 6'2" | 260 | Hampton, Va. (Phoebus) | DT | 3 |
| Eric Whitehead | 6'1" | 300 | Indianapolis, Ind. (Arsenal Technical) | DT | 3 |
| Mike Arnold | 6'5" | 280 | Winter Haven, Fla. (Winter Haven Senior) | OT | 3 |
| Houshun Gaines | 6'4" | 220 | Rocky Mount, NC. (Nash Central) | DE | 3 |
| Chris Cunningham | 6'3" | 225 | Jacksonville, Fla. (Atlantic Coast) | TE | 3 |
| D'Andre Plantin | 6'5" | 277 | Norcross, Ga. (Norcross) | OT | 3 |
| Coleman Fox | 5'11" | 190 | Salem, Va. (Salem) | RB | 3 |
| Zachariah Hoyt | 6'5" | 275 | Salem, Va. (Salem) | C | 3 |
Virginia Tech fans may not completely understand how good this class is today. Fans will remember Sweat going to Florida State, Jalen Dalton going to North Carolina or Darrell Taylor ending up at Tennessee and think how much better this class could've been.
That's understandable, but this class could be special.
Before Hokies fans write off this class as average because Tech didn't sign a 5-star recruit, they should look no further than the Super Bowl. Neither the Patriots nor Seahawks started a former 5-star recruit, per CBS Sports. In fact, both teams were littered with former 2- and 3-star recruits, including one-time Virginia Tech star and current All-Pro Kam Chancellor.
Something else to keep in mind is 80 percent of Virginia Tech's scoring in 2014 came from freshmen. Couple that with a strong incoming class, and the future is bright again in Blacksburg, as Virginia Tech's director of high school relations Thomas Guerry points out:
Remember, folks, it's all about patience in the world of recruiting.
All recruiting rankings and information, past and present, courtesy of 247Sports.
Follow Bleacher Report college sports writer Bryan Manning on Twitter: @bdmanning4
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