@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. Stay tuned for updates as Chamarri Conner takes on the 2023 NFL Combine. (Courtesy of Virginia Tech Athletics). Email Address. 6-5 / Virginia Tech football is putting a stamp on its 2023 signing class with as good of a finish as you could. The Hokies locked up his commitment late Tuesday night, springing it as a surprise on signing day. 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. - 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. The Virginia Tech Hokies wrapped up the early signing period last week feeling pretty good about the 2023 recruiting class. Football Nov 25 TBA. 6-7 / Cameron Clark Makes First Virginia Tech Visit. Hes got all the attributes we were wanting. (As someone whos technically coming in as a walk-on, the Hokies couldnt comment publicly on him, thus his absence from Wednesdays signing day fanfare.). Tight end Nick Gallo, linebacker Alan Tisdale and safety Nasir Peoples had previously announced theyd come back. Copeland is a 6-foot-4, 195-pound from Appomattox. For more details about the site, including a list of TechSideline.com staff, see our About page. PUBLISHER. 34 nationally, according to the 247Sports team composite rankings. 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. 190, LB / Virginia Tech and Brent Pry picked up their 18th commitment in the class of 2023 on Sunday night with the pledge of three-star defensive end Ishmael Findlayter (Ontario, Canada). Jennings averaged over 1,000 yards and caught 14 touchdown passes the past two seasons at ODU, despite missing three games at the end of last year with an injury. Note that this isn't necessarily a complete list of recruits who are in Blacksburg; it's only a list of those who we can confirm visited via social media. QB. 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. In the composite rankings, Adams is. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. READ MORE, With the 2023 Virginia Tech recruiting class now complete, it's time to assign our star ratings using the half-star system. 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. Caleb Woodson is another who had interest from others. 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. Thomas Williams is a sensational athlete and could also figure into the mix here. DaWain Lofton can play the slot, while others like Tucker Holloway and Xayvion Bradshaw push for time in the lineup. Brent Pry and the Hokies signed 25 prospects to their 2023 class on Wednesday. William Watson III Springfield Central (Springfield, MA) 6-0 / 175. Youve got to be able to have people to do that. "We're having some exit interviews with certain guys, portal conversations," Coach Pry said during a press conference in late November. Its Post Season Accolade Time for the Virginia Tech Hokie Womens Basketball Team. Last year, it was the defensive and offensive lines that ate up most of the signing class, with what turned out to be six players in the trenches on defense and six on offense. Start blasting Metallica's "Enter Sandman." The Virginia Tech Hokies just added one of the top running backs in the country to their 2022 recruiting class as four-star running back Ramon Brown . Gambling problem? 205, DL / Brandon Patterson breaks down that game. Ali Jennings, from Highland Springs High School, spent two years at West Virginia and the previous two years at Old Dominion. #8 Virginia Tech Hokies Dominate Miami to Reach the ACC Tournament Semi-Finals: 68-42. While no one will confuse Virginia Tech's incoming class with. He has good size for a receiver at 6-foot-3, 184 pounds. Below is a graphical representation of how our formula works. NC State. On Friday, Sierra Canyon (Calif.) four-star small forward AJ . A ranking of the 2023 Best College Football Players in West Virginia. 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. 6-2 / There are 25 high school signees, plus four transfer additions. Pennix is another local standout from Appomattox. Baylor is from Radford, and his combination of size and speed is exciting. Pry thinks Tech secured commitments early from some undervalued players in the state who had strong senior seasons, which helped the Hokies fend off late challengers once their recruitment heated up, We came in here talking a big game about recruiting this state, he said. In fact, 12 of the high school signees from Virginia were ranked 20th or lower in the state, with Penn State (six of the top 10) and North Carolina (five of the top 20) at the forefront of the poachers. Highlights: No. By Tim Weaver | February 27, 2023 1:37 pm ET. While On3 rates him as the No. Dec 20, 2022 31 BLACKSBURG, Va. So this is what recruiting momentum feels like? 6-2 / With a Burst of Energy, Brent Pry Throws All-Out Blitz at Virginia's Recruiting Trails. There is still work to do in Northern Virginia and the 757, but Pry and his staff are off to a terrific start. 191, RB / Some of them had other head coaches sitting on their couch in their living room, Hokies coach Brent Pry said. More Stories About We want to reach out and make sure you hear it from us first. 310. Conner has played in 61 games, starting every game over the last four seasons. "The portal is going to be active, as we all know. 6-3 / All six could reasonably be considered starting candidates next season. While the Hokies have continued to add players from the NCAA transfer portal . Football Nov 18 TBA. 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. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Braylon Johnson is the son of Highland Springs head coach and former Virginia Tech cornerback Loren Johnson. It wouldnt be easy after Justin Fuente ignored the state for years. As much as I like the cornerback class, I equally like the safeties. 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. 310, LB / S. Caleb Hardy Eagle's Landing (Mcdonough, GA) 6-3 / 182. It helps when you can go to an area and theres a young man youre interested in that youre getting to know, Pry said. 231-4132. 210, IOL / There were no last-second decommitments or signing day swings and misses, a welcome change from recent years, and the Hokies even had a few surprises up their sleeves for the public, with a pair of transfers, defensive end Darian Varner and receiver DaQuan Felton, and high school safety Mose Phillips announcing their intentions to sign with Tech on Wednesday. READ MORE, Kentucky tight end Willie Rodriguez has added six scholarship offers since February 1, including an offer from Virginia Tech. Tech landed Kyron Drones on the transfer market, a former four-star QB who spent the past two seasons with Baylor. Another outstanding prospect from Highland Springs, Heath is electric and could figure into the mix in 2023 as a slot receiver. 6-6 / 5-9 / An offensive lineman: The Hokies have 16 in the room right now, but only one is a senior (Jesse Hanson) and only three more have junior designations (Kaden Moore, Parker Clements and Bob Schick). The Hokies have not had many top-five in-state signees in any of the major recruiting sites lately, so Cotmans addition is welcomed. The 6-foot-1 wide receiver has over 20 scholarship offers and is the No. Add in Jennings out of ODU and its been a very good month for receivers coach Fontel Mines. Mose Phillips was a late addition and will be an outstanding college player. READ MORE, Virginia Tech recently became the fifth program to offer Kentucky wideout receiver Montavin Quisenberry, who has yet to take a visit. (On3 ranks him 33rd, bringing down his average.). One concern for the Hokies is they didnt do enough on the defensive line. Nationally, the Hokies' class has peaked at No. My background is man coverage, man-press coverage, aggressive., cornerbacks coach Derek Jones said. 190, DL / Virginia Tech Head Coach Brent Pry expects roster turnover this offseason as he attempts to rebuild the Hokies roster by way of the transfer portal and the 2023 recruiting class. 250, LB / Drones was a hot commodity and gives the Hokies and offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen the type of passer who can run his offense; that should be RPO-heavy. The Hokies picked up defensive end Darian Varner, formerly of Temple, who has multiple years of eligibility remaining. 16 ranking the state in the 247Sports Composite, making him the top-ranked player from Virginia in the Hokies class, hes much more well-regarded by Rivals, which lists him as a four-star recruit and the No. Hes the No. Really high football IQ, great wheels and can spin it. ('2023-02-23 11:46:09 -0600') }} football Edit. Jason Abbey is a defensive end from Richmond that has coaches excited. 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. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. 5-10 / 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. 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. - / 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. 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. Thats not to say the Hokies landed top local talent, as ranked by the recruiting sites, in Virginia. Its not easy, Pry said of the juggling act of adding three quarterbacks in a class. 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. This is why were making this decision. In this article, we'll analyze some overall thoughts about the class from head coach Brent . . 6-4 / This is whats behind it. 300, LB / 233, Edge / And for some of those players, Pry either flipped from other schools or beat some good competition to land those signatures. They can do a lot of different things with their bodies, so having those qualities is a plus for me. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. NA 135 140. Jennings is an instant No. Joe Spears 01/23/23. The Hokies did plenty of work in Tennessee in this class, an area that Tech hasnt tapped into all that much in recent years, getting four signees from the Volunteer State. In order to get under the limit with all the players the Hokies still hope to land or could pursue in the future, it wouldnt be surprising if that number doubles by the end of spring. Projecting the depth chart By Andy Bitter Jan 4, 2023 38 BLACKSBURG, Va. New year, new roster and an evolving one at that. Nine scholarship players have already gone into the portal. 220, OT / Odds & lines subject to change. Thanks for the effort, fellas! The speed and pattern matchingarentgreat, but the ball skills are above average. Our Signing Day 2023 coverage is presented by: We uploaded one-minute long videos for each recruit to a playlist on YouTube. 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. Krystian Williams is another who could move around. 240. 205, CB / 6-0 / Findlayter is the No. Fitzgerald was the most recent offensive addition, committing to the Hokies on Friday. If he does return, likely in a special teams capacity, he wouldnt be on scholarship, though hes marketable enough that Tech could pursue NIL opportunities for him. His brother played for Pry at Penn State, and he had other options, but that relationship with Pry was good for the Hokies. 237, WR / Michael Hazel. Length offers the quarterback a little bit easier target. I love to see receivers play defense, especially in high school, show some physicality, show that theyll play on special teams. Prys focus upon his hiring was to rebuild relationships within the Commonwealth. READ MORE, Despite being a UVA legacy, Grant Karczewski will walk-on at Virginia Tech after specific advice from his parents. 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. I dont want somebody thats afraid of competition. The Lady Hokies shine after a break, and trounce, throttle, and outscore the Miami Hurricanes in the ACC Tournament Quarterfinals. Hes confident. Duke is next. Virginia Tech. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. More than anything, we wanted to get guys who had good production, Mines said. 150. 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. The last one who fit the bill was defensive tackle Tim Settle from the 2015 class. He and Drones struck up a fast relationship during their visit, and both committed. We needed somebody to come in here and compete with Grant (Wells). Arena is Virginia Tech's fourth commitment for 2023, joining offensive linemen Lance Williams (Alcoa, Tennessee) and Hannes Hammer (Roanoke, Virginia via Germany and defensive end Jason. The final transfer was speedy 6-foot-4 wide receiver Quan Felton from Norfolk State. 305, DL / There are probably going to be more, but the Post season conference awards are a big deal for the players that win them. He will start somewhere in Virginia Techs secondary for multiple seasons. The last Tech signee ranked that high came in 2019 when wide receiver Jaden Payoute was a consensus top-five recruit in the state and fellow receiver Tayvion Robinson cracked the top five on Rivals. He misses too many tackles due to risky angles and struggles coming to balance in the open field. But now we got a third guy in the mix. 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 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. On3 Football Recruiting. Gabriel Williams Remains Highly-Coveted By Virginia Tech, The Virginia Tech 2023 Class In The Half-Star System, Alex Taylor Includes Virginia Tech In Top 7, Amir Jackson Picks Up Virginia Tech Offer, Virginia Tech Adds JUCO DE James Jennette, Virginia Tech Football Junior Days, Part 2, Virginia Tech Football Junior Days, Part 1, Chanz Wiggins Takes In Virginia Tech Again, Bodie Kahoun Picks Up Virginia Tech Offer, Ari Watford Preparing For Visit To Virginia Tech. Executive Assistant to the Head Coach. They'll all decide what's best for them individually in the upcoming weeks. A ranking of the 2023 Best College Football Players in West Virginia. 6-4 / This years class is loading up on defensive backs. . And you want guys that want to compete. 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. Because what offenses do is they try to attack you when you have weaknesses in coverage. The 6-foot 202-pound play-maker has played safety, nickel and cornerback in his Virginia Tech career. 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. If allowed to develop for two years, Watson could be a terrific college quarterback. But the staff has connections that way too, with defensive coordinator Chris Marve having played and coached at Vanderbilt, sam linebackers coach Shawn Quinn playing collegiately at Carson-Newman and with a number of past coaching jobs in Tennessee and Pry himself with stints at Memphis and Vanderbilt. 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. The y-axis in this graph represents the percentage weight of the score that gets applied to an overall team ranking. By Bryan D. Manning @BryanDManning. Drones has three years of eligibility remaining. (D-lineman Rashaud Pernell signed but did not enroll, ending up at Liberty.). The numbers always work out (funny how that happens), but its clear that this is a pretty substantial overhaul to last years roster. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. All-New 24/7 Sports News Network: Stream Now! 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. Payoute barely played before taking a medical retirement in March, while Robinson was a 2 1/2-year starter at receiver and punt return star before transferring to Kentucky last year. Period. Virginia. Liz Kitleys 53rd double-double, matched by Taylor Soules double-double, and G sinks 5 Threes! Watsons size was a detriment to some, but turn on the film, and you see an electric runner with a strong arm. TechSideline.com (a.k.a. TechSideline.Com He committed on Sunday, three days after he decommitted from Boston College and a day after an official visit in Blacksburg. Pry added to a class mostly put together by his predecessor last year, with late commitments from tight end Benji Gosnell and offensive lineman Brody Meadows, who were the second and fourth highest-ranked members of the group, though that was blunted by signing day flips by running back Ramon Brown to Maryland and quarterback Alex Orji to Michigan. @CoachPryVT @TylerBowen @CoachShawnQuinn @HokiesFB pic.twitter.com/tCR903bBkM, Zeke Wimbush (@zekewimbush7) December 19, 2022. 32 among NCAA FBS programs (per Rivals ). 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. 6-4 / Virginia Tech basketball has picked up its first commitment of the 2024 recruiting cycle. The receiver group rounded out late with the additions out of Tennessee of both Ayden Greene, a one-time Cincinnati commit, and Chance Fitzgerald. The highly versatile defensive back has played nearly every position in the Hokies' backfield dating back to 2018. After veterans Hanson, Moore and Clements, the most experienced linemen on the roster are Schick (58 snaps) and a pair of freshmen, Braelin Moore (81) and Xavier Chaplin (27). He has that mentality to play this position at a high level.. The Virginia Tech Hokies picked up their 10th commitment in the 2023 recruiting class Tuesday when Tavorian Copeland made his decision. 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.
