Hokie commits looking around? Other schools' (former) commits looking at VT? That and more in this notebook.
Former Rutgers commit Jonathan Taylor is now back on the market, and the three-star running back from Salem (N.J.) has mentioned Wisconsin and VT as two schools he's really interested in. When he didn't immediately flip to Wisconsin after a mid-October official visit, Scarlet Knights fans thought they might be out of the woods, but now that the decommitment is official, that delay could mean good things for VT's chances to at least get him on campus for a visit. The Hokies will try to make that happen, even if it's most likely he's a Badger in the end.
What's it mean with Jalen Holston? The three-star tailback from Stockbridge (Ga.) High School has been a priority for the Hokies for longer (at least a longer continuous period), but with VT battling North Carolina - and the prospect putting the recruiting process on the back-burner during his high school season - the coaching staff can't afford to wait and hope, shutting other doors. That said, Holston's plan has been to visit VT for a game (and he already visited North Carolina for the Hokies' blowout win in Chapel Hill), which means if he sticks to that - at last check, Virginia Nov. 26 was the plan - there's a chance things accelerate with him. He's the top tailback left on the board for now, so while VT doesn't want to wait around, they'll at least let him know where things stand on their board and with their own timelines.
Holston's presence in the Atlanta area shows the emphasis that the Hokies are putting on the Peach State in this class, with a couple commitments from down there - and a few targets remaining. Will VT be able to hold onto its prized commit from athlete Malik Willis of Roswell High School, though? He's continuing to look around, and SEC powers are paying a bit of attention to the high school QB who is likely a safety at the next level. Our sources in Georgia tell us that, although he has interest in playing quarterback in college, it sounds like Georgia Tech's pitch to him with that opportunity isn't going to be enough to sway him, because he wants to play at a more visible program. We'll see if that remains the case, but for now, the Hokies are more likely to have to hold off out-of-conference competition for him.
Another athlete commit with a potential sticking point comes from the other side of the country. Littleton (Colo.) Chatfield three-star Dalton Keene can play several positions, but is most likely a tight end in Blacksburg. A recent offer from Michigan (which, not coincidentally, has started using a "train" formation around the goal line - which they discovered from Chatfield while scouting Keene) will likely draw a visit from the big athlete. He likes the tight end use in Ann Arbor, and this may be one the Hokies have to fight to keep, even though many around the prospect - including in his own family - would prefer he stick with his initial commitment.
Are the Wolverines set on being a thorn in VT's side in the near future? Highland Springs (Va.) four-star offensive lineman Mekhi Becton will take an official visit to Ann Arbor this weekend, and we've received word that he is indeed a "take" for the Maize and Blue. However, he is a ways down their recruiting board, so they won't push for a commitment. It still seems like he's likely to stay in-state in the end, but he hasn't made it to Blacksburg for a visit yet this year - even though he'd tentatively planned one for the Miami game - so the Hokies need to get him on campus for the gameday atmosphere to really woo him.
