Both look like future starters at cornerback for the Hokies. By: Joe Lanza. This is a guy whos going to bring a different demeanor from what we have, Mines said. Cotman was once considered one of the top players in Virginia, and if you go back and watch him in high school, he is a really good football player. Though both are 6-foot-2, joining the 6-5 Felton, getting bigger wasnt necessarily a primary objective of the Hokies coaches. This site utilizes responsive web design, which renders the site properly on all platforms (PC, tablet, mobile). 5-9 / Here is Virginia Techs recruiting class in full, with linked profiles on them from when they committed to the Hokies, including a brief scouting report and where they are from. 250, S / 6-3 / Tim Sullivan HokieHaven. Michigan, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma had shown interest in him. Baylor is from Radford, and his combination of size and speed is exciting. 233, Edge / 6-2 / Ishmael Findlayter Commits To Virginia Tech - TechSideline.com Virginia Tech Football Recruiting | The Key Play @CoachPryVT @TylerBowen @CoachShawnQuinn @HokiesFB pic.twitter.com/tCR903bBkM, Zeke Wimbush (@zekewimbush7) December 19, 2022. Recruits can send in their National Letter of Intent (NLI) starting at 7 a.m. We'll begin providing updates at that time, and we'll be here all day. AJ Swinton: Four-star small forward commits to Virginia Tech This guys going to make Grant better. The second and third-best prospects . The 2018 class is probably the last one with a strong finish that paid dividends on the field, with the Hokies landing future NFL tight end James Mitchell before the early signing period that December and coveted linebacker Dax Hollifield in February to punctuate a class ranked 22nd nationally, back before the wheels fell off during Justin Fuentes tenure. Add in Jennings out of ODU and its been a very good month for receivers coach Fontel Mines. 32 among NCAA FBS programs (per Rivals ). Here are Techs offensive additions in the past two weeks: WR: Jennings (transfer), Fitzgerald (HS), Greene (HS). Our Signing Day 2023 coverage is presented by: We uploaded one-minute long videos for each recruit to a playlist on YouTube. In addition to key transfers in quarterback Kyron Drones and receiver Ali Jennings III, the Hokies have gotten six high school commitments this month, with four coming from players who are among the top-six ranked recruits in Techs class receivers Chance Fitzgerald (2) and Ayden Greene (3), cornerback Antonio Cotman Jr. (5) and quarterback Pop Watson (6). READ MORE, Bodie Kahoun recently picked up an offer from Virginia Tech, and the Roanoke native will be in Blacksburg tonight. 1. The Hokies didnt venture west into Tennessee often in the latter Beamer years and signed just five players from the state during Justin Fuentes six seasons, most notably linebacker Jaden Keller in 2021. 10 ranked all-time Virginia Tech Hokie in career tackles. Try a week on us. Virginia Tech. 300, LB / Nationally, the Hokies' class has peaked at No. 215, QB / Associate AD, Chief of Staff. Virginia Tech football recruiting: Hokies build momentum with late Last year, the Hokies beefed up on both lines, signing 12 players who played in the trenches. Virginia Tech football recruiting: Hokies land three players Sunday for 2023 class It was a big day for the Hokies, who also added a talented quarterback. 6-5 / Editor. He'll visit Blacksburg for Junior Day next weekend. Prior to the beginning of the NFL Combine,NFL Analyst LanceZierlein gave Conner's evaluation: Conners size and versatility could buy him time on a roster, but he might need to keep fighting for his spot. The Hokies picked up defensive end Darian Varner, formerly of Temple, who has multiple years of eligibility remaining. The Hokies signed 25 players last week and could sign a few more before national signing day in February. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The Virginia Tech Hokies wrapped up the early signing period last week feeling pretty good about the 2023 recruiting class. Virginia Tech Hokies Football Recruiting News | On3.com There is still work to do in Northern Virginia and the 757, but Pry and his staff are off to a terrific start. Each recruit is weighted in the rankings according to a, Readers familiar with the Gaussian distribution formula will note that we use a varying value for. By Bryan D. Manning @BryanDManning. Virginia Tech Hokies DB Chamarri Conner takes on the 2023 NFL Combine 5-10 / Ali Jennings, from Highland Springs High School, spent two years at West Virginia and the previous two years at Old Dominion. For our in-house analysis of each signee for Virginia Tech, check out our videos on YouTube. 2023 Virginia Tech Football Schedule | FBSchedules.com Cameron Clark Makes First Virginia Tech Visit. But for now, Techs riding some good waves heading into the early signing period that begins Wednesday. Conner has played in 61 games, starting every game over the last four seasons. Welcome to Virginia Tech Football Recruiting Signing Day Central for the Class of 2022. Another defensive back: Though Tech did plenty of work restocking the defensive backfield, Pry wants a bridge between the vets and youngsters. - / READ MORE, 2024 tight end Amir Jackson picked up a Virginia Tech offer recently, and he's had early conversations with Tyler Bowen. 6-0 / It was a great year for two former Hokies. 305, DL / TechSideline.com (a.k.a. TechSideline.Com 5-11 / Its been a while since Tech had an All-ACC caliber player who was a consensus top-five in-state prospect. 190, LB / We want to take care of the state and the kids because thats how were going to get back to where it was back in the day, senior director of player personnel Mike Villagrana said. I think he is confident. However, most of the heavy lifting has been done, and any further additions will likely come through the transfer portal. And certain areas are listening, as it seems Prys early work is already paying off in Richmond. 788 37 8. Much of this incoming class is about development. Thats why we call them cheetahs., What you want to do is you want to be able to get your secondary to the point where youve got guys with corner skills at every position. On Friday, Sierra Canyon (Calif.) four-star small forward AJ . The Virginia Tech Hokies wrapped up the early signing period last week feeling pretty good about the 2023 recruiting class. HokieHaven READ MORE, Virginia Tech was the first P5 program to offer Ohio offensive lineman Jake Wheelock, and he will visit Blacksburg this weekend. Dante Lovett and Cameren Fleming were two of my favorites in this class. Unofficially, all the recent movement puts the Hokies at 92 scholarship players, a figure that will need to be trimmed significantly to get to the 85 maximum scholarship number, especially if Tech has designs on adding more transfers next month. This years class is loading up on defensive backs. VTScoop - Virginia Tech Hokies Football and Recruiting Stay up to date with all the Virginia Tech Hokies sports news, recruiting, transfers, and more at 247Sports.com 247Sports. Just a lot goes into it, so its easy to get excited when they jump on there and theyre signed, sealed and delivered.. 191, RB / Will these recent good fortunes pay off down the line? 280, PRO / 305, / Nine scholarship players have already gone into the portal. READ MORE No. The high schoolers are Watson and Wittke at quarterback, running back Jeremiah Coney, Greene and Baylor at receiver, offensive lineman Layth Ghannam, Hannes Hammer and Williams, defensive end Ishmael Findlayter and Cotman and Phillips at defensive back. A ranking of the 2023 Best College Football Players in West Virginia. - / 6-7 / Chance Fitzgerald and Ayden Greene were late additions as the Hokies had to beat out some good programs to land both. Ishmael Findlayter, Linebacker: Tavorian Copeland, Aycen Stevens. 6-4 / And those guys are going to know each other from tournaments and playing one another and growing up in Pee Wee ball and different things. 180, QB / He'll visit Blacksburg for Junior Day next weekend. 197, OT / READ MORE, Virginia Tech has had a lot of highly-touted visitors on campus over the last week. Id like to get a bona fide pass rusher off the edge, a proven guy that can win more one-on-one battles, Pry said. He and Drones struck up a fast relationship during their visit, and both committed. His style of play is reminiscent of former Penn . Note: This article will be updated regularly so check back to get the latest updates on roster changes as Virginia Tech prepares for the 2023 season. Virginia Tech 2023 Football Commits - 247Sports Grant Wells did not have a good initial season in Blacksburg, but in reality, he was the Hokies' best option . 210, IOL / 220, WR / 197, QB / The 6-foot 202-pound play-maker has played safety, nickel and cornerback in his Virginia Tech career. Its not easy, Pry said of the juggling act of adding three quarterbacks in a class. 200, IOL / Two of the Upstate's finest high school football players are part of the Virginia Tech football 2023 recruiting class - and they happen to be cousins. Virginia Tech recruiting: Who did Hokies sign? How did Brent Pry do in HokieHaven - New Virginia Tech football offer: Deuce Walker All Hokie, All the Time. 300, LB / Cotman was the latest defensive player the Hokies snagged. 236, RB / Felton is from Portsmouth. 207, TE / Related: Virginia Tech DB Chamarri Conner receives a pre-Combine draft score. Virginia Tech Football: 3 Reasons for Optimism About the Hokies in 2023 Virginia Tech Football Junior Days, Part 1 Football Dec 2 TBA. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. OT / Presented by. The opinions of the author(s) on this site are independent and no way reflect the opinions of the Virginia Tech administrators, coaches, staff, or athletes. Their parents, especially, have an appreciation for where Virginia Techs been, and they understand what this program can be.. Ticket Marketplace, Travel Center & Info, English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park Fan Guide, ACC Network, Video Library presented by , Virginia Tech Sports Network Radio Affiliates, Sport Psychology/Counseling and Athletic Mental Performance, Student-Athlete Academic Support Services, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). He finishes in the record-book as the No. Takye Heath is a player to watch. Caleb Woodson is another who had interest from others. All three will enroll in January, adding some juice to spring ball at the position. This is whats behind it. David Cunningham will have a story at the end of the day on Wednesday to recap Techs December signees, and Chris Coleman will have a columnas well. TSL) is an independent publication that is in no way affiliated with or sponsored by Virginia Tech or the Virginia Tech Athletic Department. Projecting the depth chart By Andy Bitter Jan 4, 2023 38 BLACKSBURG, Va. New year, new roster and an evolving one at that. My background is man coverage, man-press coverage, aggressive., cornerbacks coach Derek Jones said. PUBLISHER. Virginia Tech football: A look at the Hokies' 2023 recruiting class Obviously, we think our guys can continue to develop, the young guys in our program. I would expect him to redshirt and develop a bit before he plays. Ghannam, Arena and Lance Williams all had late interest from the outside but stuck with the Hokies and Rudolph. He can be a power runner pretty early in his Virginia Tech career. 6-2 / Varner is a 6-foot-2, 280-pound first-team All-AAC pick from Temple, where he had 7.5 sacks last year. More than anything, we wanted to get guys who had good production, Mines said. 6-5 / Period. 230, LB / Virginia Tech Hokies Football, Basketball, and Recruiting I also wouldnt be shocked if Pry looks for a defensive tackle via the transfer portal. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). 6-5 / Virginia Tech Hokies Baseball Walks Away with a 3-1 Week 2 Record, Quarterback: William Pop Watson III, Dylan Wittke, Wide receiver: Chance Fitzgerald, Ayden Greene, Marcell Baylor, Takye Heath, Krystian Williams, Offensive line: Layth Ghannam, Lance Williams, Gabriel Arena, Hannes Hammer, Edge [DE/OLB]: Jason Abbey. Odds & lines subject to change. So the investments real. Im not going to say there wasnt concerns and there wasnt conversations that had to be had, but most times you can work through those things, and were able to do that with those guys. While no one will confuse Virginia Techs incoming class with Alabama or Ohio State, there were many encouraging signs in head coach Brent Prys first full recruiting class. Wimbush did a bit of everything last year for Stone Bridge, sometimes playing quarterback and sometimes lining up out wide. READ MORE, Kentucky tight end Willie Rodriguez has added six scholarship offers since February 1, including an offer from Virginia Tech. The good thing about that position is they have the same qualities, Mines said. -, CB / READ MORE, Within 10 minutes, 4-star linebacker Gabriel Williams had received a text message from nearly every member of Virginia Techs coaching staff. Buy Tickets Opens in new window. 220, OLB / Teams; CBS Sports; CBS SPORTS HQ; SportsLine; MaxPreps; Shop; . There is a lot to like and build on with Virginia Techs 2023 recruiting class. 205, RB / The commentary is also linked in the Our Take column of the table below. They'll all decide what's best for them individually in the upcoming weeks. Of that second group, tight end Nick Gallo, safety Nasir Peoples and linebacker Alan Tisdale are the only three to publicly say they plan to return next season. Executive Assistant to the Head Coach. The Hokies should prioritize the defensive line in 2024. ** The Early 2023 Signing Day is concluded. 5-11 / Though none is ranked better than a three-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite, all four are 652nd or higher nationally, boosting what had been a solid but not spectacular class in the final month, with the Hokies now up to 34th in the national team rankings and sixth in the ACC. After a showy signing day ceremony, the hay is in the barn now, with Pry finalizing his first full class with the Hokies, a group that ranks 35th in the 247Sports Composite and sixth in the ACC, not far from Virginia Techs historical norm. In his junior highlight tape, he flashes some burst and athleticism. Copeland is a 6-foot-4, 195-pound from Appomattox. In addition to Drones, the Hokies signed two high school quarterbacks, bringing Dylan Wittke and Pop Watson into the fold. (On3 ranks him 33rd, bringing down his average.). Its infectious, Pry said. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. 12/19/2022. The Hokies like the new additions on the offensive line, wide receiver and the defensive backfield. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Life Christian Academy (Colonial Heights, VA), Clarkson Football North (Mississauga, ON), RB / The Hokies have veteran Nick Gallo coming back for his final season in 2023, but Wimbush is a boost to the next wave of tight ends/H-backs, someone who looks like he could be more on the playmaking side of the position, capable of doing a variety of things from different parts of the formation. Krystian Williams is another who could move around. READ MORE, Virginia Tech recently became the fifth program to offer Kentucky wideout receiver Montavin Quisenberry, who has yet to take a visit. Coney could also play linebacker, but it sounds like the plan is to stick in the backfield. Pry said Tech has three or four spots its looking to bolster. Ultimately, it wasnt enough. . A running back: Malachi Thomas is back, but hes coming off an injury-plagued season, and Tech struggled to run the ball physically with anybody else. Theres a little bit of a gap between the old guys and this group, he said. 2023 Virginia Tech Football Schedule | FBSchedules.com Virginia Tech Football Schedule OVERALL 0-0 ACC 0-0 By purchasing tickets using the affiliate links below, you'll help support. On Saturday, Conner will complete the drill portion of the NFL Combine with the Bench Press before departing Indianapolis. He committed on Sunday, three days after he decommitted from Boston College and a day after an official visit in Blacksburg. ACC Championship. It wouldnt be shocking to see both play early in their career. Virginia Tech added Baylor transfer QB Kyron Drones. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Findlayter is the No. Hes got all the attributes we were wanting. READ MORE, Virginia Tech signed JUCO defensive end James Jennette on Wednesday, per his announcement on social media. Here are some key takeaways from signing day: Virginia Techs class has a distinctly Virginia flavor to it, with 16 of the 29 total signees having played their high school ball in the commonwealth. quarterback Kyron Drones and receiver Ali Jennings III. Montavin Quisenberry Picks Up Virginia Tech Offer, Grant Karczewski Spurns UVA Ties To Walk On At Virginia Tech, Joshua Clarke Sees VT Again, Closes In On Cuts. Tech has also gotten confirmation from defensive tackle Mario Kendricks and defensive end Pheldarius Payne, a Nebraska transfer who missed last year with an Achilles injury, that theyll return. The Hokies 2023 class ranks No. Virginia Tech Football Transfer Tracker: Winter 2022-2023 By VTScoop247 Jan 13, 5:00 PM 207 Virginia Tech Head Coach Brent Pry expects roster turnover this offseason as he attempts to. I think in this cycle, they understand we meant it. 206, WR / Caleb Woodson is listed as a safety on some sites, though at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds already hes more likely to grow into a linebacker. 328, LB / 185, RB / Pry said the Hokies are still pursuing some transfers in the first week of January who could still be spring semester enrollees, with three on the docket to make official visits as of now. The numbers always work out (funny how that happens), but its clear that this is a pretty substantial overhaul to last years roster. Competition at quarterback. There are 25 high school signees, plus four transfer additions. @CoachPryVT @coachscott33 @BappNAinEZBino @adamgorney @RivalsFriedman @EdOBrienCFB pic.twitter.com/SrtfDYNLja, Antonio Hazen Cotman Jr. (@CotmanHazen) December 18, 2022, Cotmans addition bolsters whats turning into a pretty good haul in the secondary for the Hokies. Krystian Williams Collegiate School (Richmond, VA) 6-2 / Virginia Tech football knows its 2023 schedule. Virginia Tech Hokies Defensive Back Chamarri Conneris participating in the 2023 NFL Combine, looking to boost his stock ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.