6-1 / 6-1 / Copeland is a 6-foot-4, 195-pound from Appomattox. Hes going to make us better. 6-6 / More than anything, I think hes going to push these guys on and off the field. 200, IOL / Both Greene (1,127 yards, 19 TDs) and Fitzgerald (1,348 yards, 18 TDs) had monster senior seasons and could have the size to factor in right away. 259, OT / While he may not stick at corner, he could make an impact at safety or linebacker, depending on how much size he adds. While Cotman holds a No. The Hokies had circled him as a possibility before he went in the portal, so once he officially put his name out there, offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen had done his homework and was the first coach Drones welcomed on an in-home visit. Football Nov 18 TBA. In addition to some final high school targets, the Hokies are still pursuing several transfers Temple defensive lineman Darian Varner and Norfolk State receiver DaQuan Felton are a couple to watch in the short term, with former five-star Tony Grimes out of UNC an automatic take if Tech were somehow able to beat out some heavyweights and convince him to come here. I love to see receivers play defense, especially in high school, show some physicality, show that theyll play on special teams. 6-3 / I truly think hes undervalued and becomes a good player for the Hokies early in his career. The Hokies locked up his commitment late Tuesday night, springing it as a surprise on signing day. Welcome to Virginia Tech Football Recruiting Signing Day Central for the Class of 2022. In between on Tuesday will be a column on the 2023 Virginia Tech football schedule that is going to be released tonight (Monday). Visit our message boards:TSL Recruiting Board (TSL Pass)TSL Football Board. In the spring, the Hokies made a point of hitting every school in the state. His size, athleticism and football IQ had him extremely undervalued. The 247Sports' NCAA Transfer Portal Database can be found here. That quarterback rooms going to look a little different right out of the gate come January 18th, Pry said. - / 5-10 / TechSideline.com (a.k.a. The 6-foot 202-pound play-maker has played safety, nickel and cornerback in his Virginia Tech career. . He will be a starter wherever he lands. 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. While On3 rates him as the No. Hes a leader. Virginia Tech football is putting a stamp on its 2023 signing class with as good of a finish as you could. One-On-One With Virginia Tech Football's Brent Pry By: David Cunningham | March 2, 2023 On Wednesday, Tech Sideline's David Cunningham sat down with Brent Pry to discuss individual players, the transfer portal and other topics. READ MORE, Kyron Drones is a quarterback transfer from Baylor who got meaningful snaps in one game for the Bears. Virginia Tech's 2023 National Signing Day class ranks as the sixth best in the ACC according to 247Sports Composite and Rivals. READ MORE Ari Watford Preparing For Visit To Virginia Tech By: Jason Stamm | January 20, 2023 Ari Watford will be one of the top prospects in the state in the 2025 class. 220, OLB / Fitzgerald was the most recent offensive addition, committing to the Hokies on Friday. 305, DL / ('2023-02-23 11:46:09 -0600') }} football Edit. #8 Virginia Tech Hokies Dominate Miami to Reach the ACC Tournament Semi-Finals: 68-42. 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. Much of this incoming class is about development. Boston College. (Courtesy of Virginia Tech Athletics). 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. One concern for the Hokies is they didnt do enough on the defensive line. 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. - / Signed. The 6-foot 202-pound play-maker has played safety, nickel and cornerback in his Virginia Tech career. He finishes in the record-book as the No. 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. READ MORE, Virginia Tech was the first P5 program to offer Ohio offensive lineman Jake Wheelock, and he will visit Blacksburg this weekend. But now we got a third guy in the mix. - / READ MORE, Virginia Tech signed JUCO defensive end James Jennette on Wednesday, per his announcement on social media. Hes a twitchy guy, and particularly when he gets closer to the football, he was a problem for people.. 6-2 / He was a hybrid linebacker-defensive back in both 2019 and 2020, registering a bulk of his . 6-0 / He'll visit Blacksburg for Junior Day next weekend. We just know more about these guys. 0.8786. These guys were recruiting, thats an important trait that were always looking for.. But at the same time, we have to be better in that area.. I think he is confident. The numbers always work out (funny how that happens), but its clear that this is a pretty substantial overhaul to last years roster. READ MORE, With the 2023 Virginia Tech recruiting class now complete, it's time to assign our star ratings using the half-star system. 455 player nationally and No. The Hokies were competing at the Lone Star State Invitational this weekend. 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. - 12/6, Pheldarius Payne - Defensive End (per Andy Bitter), Mario Kendricks - Defensive Tackle (per Andy Bitter), Jalen Holston Running Back (No NCAA eligibility remaining), Jaylen Griffin - Defensive End (No NCAA eligibility remaining), Silas Dzansi - Offensive Line (No NCAA eligibility remaining), Ali Jennings - Wide Receiver - Old Dominion, Griffin Armstrong - Long Snapper - Louisiana Tech* Walk-on, Quan Felton - Wide Receiver - Norfolk State, Jaylin Lane - Wide Receiver - Middle Tennessee State, Derrick Canteen - Cornerback - Georgia Southern, Bhayshul Tuten - Running Back - North Carolina A&T. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. 243, IOL / There is still work to do in Northern Virginia and the 757, but Pry and his staff are off to a terrific start. 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. Zeke Wimbush, a versatile tight end who committed out of Stone Bridge High in Ashburn earlier this week, plans to enroll this summer but will likely not immediately be on scholarship. The Portsmouth product is a former basketball player who didnt start playing football until his junior year, earning a camp offer from Norfolk State, where he caught 67 passes for 1,062 yards and nine touchdowns the past two years, with seven scores last season. This time around, the focus was more on the perimeter, with Tech signing seven defensive backs and seven receivers, some with positional versatility to possibly end up on either side of the ball. Gambling problem? Prys focus upon his hiring was to rebuild relationships within the Commonwealth. 205, DL / 231-4132. Varner is a 6-foot-2, 280-pound first-team All-AAC pick from Temple, where he had 7.5 sacks last year. (Christian Moss is the only scholarship receiver on the roster whos 6-3.). While no one will confuse Virginia Tech's incoming class with. Krystian Williams is another who could move around. 310, LB / Ghannam, Arena and Lance Williams all had late interest from the outside but stuck with the Hokies and Rudolph. The good thing about that position is they have the same qualities, Mines said. 6 Virginia at North Carolina, Highlights: No. TechSideline.com (a.k.a. All Hokie, All the Time. He has that mentality to play this position at a high level.. Virginia Tech football: A look at the Hokies 2023 recruiting class, 2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Virginia Tech safety Chamarri Conner with an impressive day, Virginia Tech football: 2 former Hokies named 2 of the NFLs top 101 players. 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. "We do have time to schedule meetings, involve parents or families or coaches, if we need to, on young men considering forgoing their senior year to go to the NFL, guys considering going to the transfer portal, or guys you potentially want to help them get somewhere where they've got a better chance to play and be successful. Football Nov 25 TBA. Hes the No. By Tim Weaver | February 27, 2023 1:37 pm ET. Weve got to be better at that position. Hes a triple-threat guy, Pry said. Jason Abbey is a defensive end from Richmond that has coaches excited. Lets get to work #NewHome pic.twitter.com/zvIhIcrD1B, Chance Fitzgerald (@itschancefitz) December 16, 2022. BLACKSBURG, Va. While signing day went off without a hitch for Virginia Tech, that doesnt mean there werent some nervous moments leading up to it. Takye Heath is a player to watch. The Hokies 2023 class ranks No. The 6-foot-2, 260-pound Varner was a first-team All-AAC performer at Temple in 2022 and can slide inside on passing downs. The recent additions put the Hokies at 91 scholarship players by my rough count if you include all of the 2023 commitments and every senior who has an available COVID-19 year. He committed on Sunday, three days after he decommitted from Boston College and a day after an official visit in Blacksburg. Hes the first tight end/H-back in the class after Tech took three last year DaeQuan Wright, Harrison Saint Germain and Gosnell. 57 player in the class at the edge position, 247 has him at No. Greene (Knoxville), Fitzgerald (Nashville) and Phillips (Nashville) all came on board this month. What Is Virginia Tech Getting In Kyron Drones? Were looking for possibly a running back to come in and compete with Malachi and Chance (Black) and those guys and make that room better, Pry said. Virginia Tech. Its Post Season Accolade Time for the Virginia Tech Hokie Womens Basketball Team. The No. 6-6 / Another new head coach, Brent Pry, also had a successful recruiting cycle for Virginia Tech with the fifth-best recruiting class in the ACC. Just a lot goes into it, so its easy to get excited when they jump on there and theyre signed, sealed and delivered.. -, IOL / READ MORE, Within 10 minutes, 4-star linebacker Gabriel Williams had received a text message from nearly every member of Virginia Techs coaching staff. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Conners size and versatility could buy him time on a roster, but he might need to keep fighting for his spot. The secondary class is a fun group. And Florida State made a late push for linebacker Caleb Woodson. Note: We are told that Ezekiel Wimbush, previously listed as a commitment, is currently preferred walk-on status. 13 Miami at Virginia Tech, Six players I am most excited to see during spring ball for Virginia Tech, Top target Keylen Adams returns to Virginia Tech, Offered TE Cameron Clark talks Virginia Tech visit, connection with Tyler Bowen, Two-sport standout James Nesta locks in seven March visits, Bodie Kahoun opens March with a return to Virginia Tech, Deuce Walker is building a relationship with Virginia Tech, Offered TE Willie Rodriguez excited to check out Virginia Tech, Five coaches Brent Pry could target to replace Joe Rudolph, Live Updates: Virginia Tech 75, Florida State 52 - Second Half, Game Chat: Virginia Tech hosts Florida State, 2023 Spring football game schedule, practice dates, Five Virginia Tech players that could see their stock rise this spring, '25 IMG CB looking forward to visiting Virginia Tech. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. 5-10 / The Virginia Tech Hokies wrapped up the early signing period last week feeling pretty good about the 2023 recruiting class. Buy Tickets Opens in new window. Duke is next. The 247Sports' NCAA Transfer Portal Database can be found here, Cornerback DJ Harvey announced he plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal 11/28, Defensive end Mattheus Carroll announced he plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/2, Defensive end Lakeem Rudolph announced he plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/4, Defensive tackle Desmond Mamudi announced he plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/4, Cornerback Armani Chatman has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Wide Receiver Kaleb Smith has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Walk-on long snapper Enzo Anthony has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Linebacker Keshon Artis has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Walk-on wide receiver Tink Boyd has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Walk-on wide receiver Will Kakavitsashas entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Quarterback Jason Brown has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Walk-onlinebacker Tyler Matheny has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/5, Defensive End Eli Adams has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal - 12/6, Safety Nasir Peoplesannounced he will return for the 2023 season. The Hokies should prioritize the defensive line in 2024. Their parents, especially, have an appreciation for where Virginia Techs been, and they understand what this program can be.. A ranking of the 2023 Best College Football Players in West Virginia. His list of collegiate accolades include 2020 Phil Steele All-ACC Third Team, 2020 All-ACC Honorable Mention, ACC Defensive Back of the Week (Sept. 7, 2021), 2021 ESPN All-ACC Midseason Team, 2021 Phil Steele All-ACC Second Team, 2021 All-ACC Honorable Mention (S), and his selection to the 2022-2023 Reese's Senior Bowl. 247Sports employs a staff of more than 50 full time recruiting reporters and evaluators that rank and compile data on the nation's elite . 5-9 / 240. 6-2 / -, WR / In the composite rankings, Adams is. Football Dec 2 TBA. This is why were making this decision. Brandon Patterson breaks down that game. 6-3 / You can see that the area under the curve gets smaller both as the rating for a commit decreases and as the number of total commits for a school increases. Felton is a bigger-bodied receiver that Techs lacked in recent years, listed at 6-foot-5, 210 pounds. The Hokies picked up defensive end Darian Varner, formerly of Temple, who has multiple years of eligibility remaining. And I believe we can win an ACC championship with this formula. All high school NLIs received are listed below. With a Burst of Energy, Brent Pry Throws All-Out Blitz at Virginia's Recruiting Trails. The last one who fit the bill was defensive tackle Tim Settle from the 2015 class. Drones has three years of eligibility remaining. All Hokie, All the Time. TSL) is an independent publication that is in no way affiliated with or sponsored by Virginia Tech or the Virginia Tech Athletic Department. PUBLISHER. (Photo of Brent Pry: Reinhold Matay / USA Today). 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. Find the latest updates on Virginia Tech's roster below. The Hokies wanted to add talent to the wide receiver position, and they certainly did. At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, the Life Christian Academy product has good size for a defensive back and is one of the more intriguing prospects in the class, just based on the diversity of his ranking. Its been a while since Tech had an All-ACC caliber player who was a consensus top-five in-state prospect. Presented by, 2024 tight end Cameron Clark took his first visit to Virginia Tech in late January after picking up a December offer. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. 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. 32 among NCAA FBS programs (per Rivals ). By Bryan D. Manning December 12, 2022. Related: Virginia Tech DB Chamarri Conner receives a pre-Combine draft score. Period. -, S / Thats always the million-dollar question with recruiting, where signing day stars have a short shelf life and can look quaint once these players have had a few years to develop or, in the transfer portal age, pack up and go somewhere else to finish their career. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. Presented by. On Saturday, Conner will complete the drill portion of the NFL Combine with the Bench Press before departing Indianapolis. Try a week on us. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). 230, LB / Virginia Techs Elizabeth Kitley pulls down her second ACC player of the year award, Georgia Amoore and Taylor Soule get team honors, and Tech gets ready for Selection Sunday. I thought it was tough when we got Jason (Brown) and Grant last year at the same time. He had 729 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, 840 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns and 17 catches for 338 yards and three touchdowns, showing plenty of athletic chops for someone his size. The Hokies ended up adding four transfers in the early period who should reshape competitions at their respective positions quarterback Kyron Drones out of Baylor, defensive lineman Darian Varner out of Temple and receivers Jennings and Felton from ODU and Norfolk State, respectively. READ MORE, Alex Taylor has made multiple trips to Virginia Tech, and recently included the Hokies in his top seven schools. 8 Virginia Tech Wrestling Travels To Raleigh For ACC Tournament By: Jack Brizendine | March 2, 2023 It shows that theyll block and find ways to contribute to the team.. Later on Friday afternoon at 3 P.M., Conner will participate in the Defensive Back drills. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Early signing day is Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. We really like the way he rushes the quarterback, Pry said. DaWain Lofton can play the slot, while others like Tucker Holloway and Xayvion Bradshaw push for time in the lineup. Conner has late Day 3 value as a potential backup., has participated in the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl, Virginia Tech DB Chamarri Conner receives a pre-Combine draft score. 250, S / Tight end Nick Gallo, linebacker Alan Tisdale and safety Nasir Peoples had previously announced theyd come back. North Carolina was all over cornerback Cam Fleming in the final two weeks. We recruit defensive backs. Well have a good look at things this spring.. 5-9 / Tim Sullivan HokieHaven. BLACKSBURG, Va. So this is what recruiting momentum feels like? 180, QB / Drones immediately enters the battle for the starting spot, with Wittke, an early commitment from a powerhouse Georgia program in Buford, and Watson, a scintillating late addition out of Massachusetts who flipped from Nebraska earlier this month, getting into the developmental pipeline. You can win those jump balls, 80-20, is what I call it. Conner has late Day 3 value as a potential backup., He was given a prospect rating of 5.82 - which defines him as an "Average backup or Special Teamer. Stay tuned for updates as Chamarri Conner takes on the 2023 NFL Combine. READ MORE Those are the rankings to focus on as they combine the different recruiting services. It helps the quarterback not have to be as accurate. This guys going to make Grant better. Its the second consecutive season Tech has been ranked in that neighborhood after middling to forgettable classes in 2021 (44th) and 2020 (76th). 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. 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. The rest of the commits are in alphabetical order by last name. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. OT / His brother played for Pry at Penn State, and he had other options, but that relationship with Pry was good for the Hokies. Odds & lines subject to change. New Nebraska coach Matt Rhule made a show of making his first offer on the job to cornerback Dante Lovett. And I tell the staff all the time: Nobody can know more about the kids in Virginia than us.. Liz Kitleys 53rd double-double, matched by Taylor Soules double-double, and G sinks 5 Threes! I think in this cycle, they understand we meant it. Virginia Tech football is putting a stamp on its 2023 signing class with as good of a finish as you could have asked for from head coach Brent Pry in his first real recruiting cycle. GO HOKIES!!! And you go down the road and theres a coach youve known for 20 years and you can say, Tell me about that guy. And he says, Coach, thats a heck of a ball player. Hes going to challenge them whenever they need to be challenged.. Pry noted that Nashville is only a six-hour drive from Blacksburg, keeping it well within Techs footprint. 230, CB / Findlayter is the No. The Hokies have been recruiting Walker for quite some time, but the offer has finally come through. Caleb Woodson is another who had interest from others. 2023 Virginia Tech Football Commitment List Total Commitments 26 READ MORE, 2024 in-state target Chanz Wiggins was in Blacksburg on Monday night, and he's become very familiar with Virginia Tech. Let's take a closer look at who visited. He is another player who was undervalued. Below is a graphical representation of how our formula works. It was a great year for two former Hokies. TSL) is an independent publication that is in no way affiliated with or sponsored by Virginia Tech or the Virginia Tech Athletic Department. A ranking of the 2023 Best College Football Players in West Virginia. It wouldnt be easy after Justin Fuente ignored the state for years. Hammer plays at North Cross in Roanoke. All three will enroll in January, adding some juice to spring ball at the position. Since the conclusion of the 2022 season, Conner has participated in the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowland has prepared himself for the NFL Combine. Early signing day is Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. - / Cornerback: Dante Lovett, Cameren Fleming, Antonio Cotman Jr. Safety: Mose Phillips, Braylon Johnson, Caleb Woodson, Athlete: Thomas Williams, Jonathan Pennix, Tralon Mitchell. Early signing day is Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. Will these recent good fortunes pay off down the line? (D-lineman Rashaud Pernell signed but did not enroll, ending up at Liberty.). Our Signing Day 2023 coverage is presented by: We uploaded one-minute long videos for each recruit to a playlist on YouTube. 788 37 8. I can see both playing in 2023. LB. Pennix is another local standout from Appomattox. - / Hes going to make sure those guys are doing extra. More than anything, we wanted to get guys who had good production, Mines said. Once commits sign their NLIs to the Hokies, they will have a green check next to their name in the table below and move to the top of the list. That thing will probably double over the next several days with it officially opening on Monday (December 5). But getting the Hokies back in good standing with the top-tier prospects is a process, one Pry and his staff set about remedying last winter, with travel clinics in hotbed areas around the state and meet-and-greets to show high school coaches that Tech, which had lost some standing within the borders under Justin Fuente, was being genuine. Head coach Brent Pry enters his second year at the helm, and the Hokies open their season vs. Old Dominion on Saturday, Sept. 2 in Blacksburg. In addition to Drones, the Hokies signed two high school quarterbacks, bringing Dylan Wittke and Pop Watson into the fold. Email Address. 6-3 / This is whats behind it. Jennings and Felton help remake a receiver room that added seven new players in all Wednesday, shoring up a group that lost last years leading pass-catcher Kaleb Smith to Notre Dame. 6-5 / While theres always positional flexibility to consider with many of these athlete types coming in, particularly with the Hokies need for offensive playmakers, its not far-fetched to see a DB class that includes Cotman, Cameren Fleming, Braylon Johnson, Thomas Williams and Dante Lovett. Lovett and Fleming are also players who had attention from other schools but maintained their pledges to the Hokies. We still have a couple needs were trying to fill, he said. Enjoy! He has compiled 314 total tackles (207 solo), 21.0 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, 23 passes defensed, 4 forced fumbles and one block. Recruits can send in their National Letter of Intent (NLI) starting at 7 a.m. Well begin providing updates at that time, and well be here all day. 300, S / Michael Hazel. All four have legit size and Ghannam could play early in his career. 285, DL / By: Joe Lanza. "We're having some exit interviews with certain guys, portal conversations," Coach Pry said during a press conference in late November. 6-3 / 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. I think thats definitely going to help us on the perimeter, being longer, being faster and being more consistent.. The speed and pattern matchingarentgreat, but the ball skills are above average. Both look like future starters at cornerback for the Hokies. Dec 20, 2022 31 BLACKSBURG, Va. So this is what recruiting momentum feels like? 6-1 / That means the Hokies need to have another wave of attrition at some point, be it when the new semester starts in January or later once spring ball concludes and a second transfer window opens up, just to get to the 85 max number. ** The Early 2023 Signing Day is concluded. Joe Spears 01/23/23. 0.8478. The highly versatile defensive back has played nearly every position in the Hokies' backfield dating back to 2018. 6-5 / They include: A defensive end: With Varner likely to play tackle, Tech has a need on the edge, especially with last years top pass rusher, TyJuan Garbutt, graduating. READ MORE, 2024 tight end Amir Jackson picked up a Virginia Tech offer recently, and he's had early conversations with Tyler Bowen. He will start somewhere in Virginia Techs secondary for multiple seasons. READ MORE, Despite being a UVA legacy, Grant Karczewski will walk-on at Virginia Tech after specific advice from his parents. And while well see if hes actually that big listed heights and weights on recruiting sites are hardly unimpeachable its a body type Techs lacking now that Kaleb Smith is in the transfer portal. 6-2 / He is perhaps the most important player in this class. However, Aycen Stevens is a name to know. Virginia. 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. Nationally, the Hokies' class has peaked at No. READ MORE, Virginia Tech hasn't signed an Ohio recruit since 2014, but with most of Ohio falling within the 6-hour radius, that should change.