Lest we forget why Hokie fans are excited about the local prospect:

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Huge loss for the Hokies, because Frazier is extremely good at what he does. I think most VT fans are more-than willing to trust Mike Young to make the right hire for a replacement, though.

Hoops assistant Chester Frazier expected to head to Illinois

With Alex Orji's commitment and the staff really honing in on their top RB targets, this group is close to being figured out, for the most part.

Virginia Tech Hokies 2022 recruiting hotboard: Offensive backfield

June 1. He returns just a couple days later for the official.

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I think I've been pretty clear on the direction this recruitment is heading... and this is another indication that it'd take something weird (or a "no thanks" from the staff) for it to end up any other way.

He's mentioned semi-vague plans to take official visits to other programs as well. There's a possibility that some of those happen if he's still on the board come June 6. But the primary reason those aren't set up yet is that both prospect and the programs who'd be in the mix for those visits don't really think he's making it back to Richmond from Blacksburg without giving a commitment to the Hokies. Of course there is a slim possibility that he doesn't like what he sees (or doesn't like it enough to close down other suitors). That's just not the expectation.

Again, this all boils down to the decision being in the hands of the VT coaching staff. They've gone through phases - as they have with other prospects, including tons of in-state guys, in the past few years - where he was a guy they wanted to prioritize, to a guy they'd take but didn't want to push for because it might dissuade other players, to a guy that they're 50/50 on whether he's even a take at the time. Fortunately (if you're a fan of Pernell ending up in the class), it feels like he's between the first two of those three categories on his own merit as a player. The positives it would win the Hokies in the in-state political game have pushed him into the first category. Of course, you don't want to take guys just because it's the political move, but when he's close anyway... let's just say winning back some hearts and minds is a choice the staff has wisely decided to make, and a commitment from Pernell would continue the positive strides there. Landing a guy from the Richmond area, and specifically from Highland Springs, would be a big move here. Given that there are some other top prospects visiting that June 4-6 weekend, setting up some positive vibes for the other guys to feel would be smart, too.

In terms of why he's higher on their board as a player right now... while the 6-3, 250-pounder is listed as a strongside defensive end, he may ultimately be a tweener with three-technique tackle as he continues to grow. VT has traditionally been very happy putting a little mass on those tweener guys and playing them inside, and while the Tapp/Teerlinck combo was more focused on guys who didn't need that sort of development 1) JC Price coming from a mid-major (Marshall) after playing at VT in an era where those tweeners worked out extremely well has changed those priorities, and 2) it's really tough to land the guys who already have college-ready size and skill in high school - they tend to be five-stars (or close to it), and VT simply isn't in a position where they've been landing those guys, so being overly picky is unwise.

All told, I think a commit watch is justified when Pernell makes the second of those back-to-back visits, and I think it's the smart choice for the Hokies to execute the recruiting strategy in such a way to increase the odds of that happening.

I have a hard time seeing him return to the Hokies, on account of the nature of the accusations. Nonetheless, his contrition seems genuine, and at the very least, that's step one for him in making sure he doesn't re-slam the door if it's open a crack

2023 Lake City (Fla.) Columbia standout safety Jaden Robinson says Notre Dame, Virginia Tech and South Carolina have been making strong pushes this offseason

Robinson opens up on his top contenders: https://virginiatech.rivals.com/news/few-teams-have-the-attention-of-jaden-robinson

Nice tidbit in this Wisconsin-focused article:

Oscar Bradburn with the Vikings:

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Jarrod Hewitt with the Seahawks:

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Hope both manage to stick through camp and make the in-season rosters