I’ll have much more to come shortly (I’m stuck in the car right now), but here’s the quick commitment story:

Keli Lawson is a Hokie!

After reviewing the stats and the video I am not convinced we didn't get the better or at least and equally good quarterback in the long run. You can't change size and Bullock is 6' 4" and 232 and Davis is 5" 11" and 190. A real advantage when you and trying to pass with huge lineman in front of you or you are trying to get a tough short yardage first down. Both of their high schools ranked in the top 25 nationwide based on level of competition and wins. Bullock plans to pursue engineering so a very smart kid. Led his team from behind with less than 2 minutes to win 4 games including the state championship and twice against Don Bosco, a mill for excellent college players. Bullock runs a 4.60 40 and Davis a 4.87. Both have strong arms but based on the video I would give the edge to Bullock. I am not a coach but in my humble opinion we could come out ahead on this deal in the long run.

Welcome to Tunnel Talk, as always running through the latest inside information in the world of Hokies and recruiting.

NJ2VT?

With the Hokies' landing Tahj Bullock yesterday - unsurprising though his destination may have been after a semi-whirlwind recruitment from the Hokies' end of things - the staff has a bit of a rejuvenated feeling for how effectively they'll be able to recruit New Jersey. That's for good reason: there is a long history (both athletically and in terms of simple student/alumni base) between the Garden State and Blacksburg. The Hokies have traditionally done well when they've put the effort into recruiting the region.

As I've said, that doesn't mean they're intending to completely abandon the state of Texas when it comes to recruiting, but putting it into a more proper context in terms of fit, frequency, etc. is looking more and more likely.

Anyway, we're talkin' Jersey here. Bullock has that "popular kid from a great program in a talented area" combination that can be important in helping become a bit of a pied piper. During his time as a Hokie commit, Dematrius Davis ticked the same boxes and used them to his advantage. That Bullock looks far more likely to stick long-term, and that Virginia Tech has more selling points to New Jersey kids than mostly just that cult of personality that they were relying on in Texas should be fruitful.

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A kid like Audric Estime has been on VT's board for a while, and has been on-again, off-again a hot target. Even though VT has a running back commit in Chance Black, the versatility of Black's skillset and Estime's overall talent level should keep him a factor. His existing relationship (from high school rivals to off-field acquaintances) with Bullock may help VT remain an even bigger factor in his eyes. When the emergency Dead Period ends, Estime's return to campus could be an interesting indicator of how serious this one is going to be.

The Hokies have also been measured-but-consistent in issuing offers in New Jersey, including for underclassman DT Sydir Mitchell yesterday. Look for that trend to continue.

Donovan McMillon

Virginia Tech has long been one of VT's top defensive back targets, from the time he visited for a game last Fall when he only had Group of Five and FCS offers, to his return over the Winter after he'd blown up. The Hokies have valued him more highly than the recruiting sites (including this one), and that might remain the case even when he inevitably moves up.

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McMillon will make his third trip to Blacksburg this weekend, starting tomorrow, and while it will have to be the sort of no-contact, not-even-technically-a-visit-in-the-NCAA's-eyes sort of affair the that coronavirus pandemic necessitates, that's still meaningful. This isn't a kid who needs to get his first glimpse of campus (which was the reason Bullock made this type of trip). I hesitate to ascribe a sense of finality to it, but it certainly seems like one last chance to really set his feelings in stone before he moves toward a decision.

Of course, this trip is also happening because it's essentially on the way home from Florida, where he recently executed his no-contact visit "with" the Gators to check out Gainesville. He's not exactly heading out from the Steel City to make a special trip to VT. Still, there's a positive effect from making the effort nonetheless.

The other members of his final five (Oklahoma, Oregon, and Texas A&M) are chasing the Gators and Hokies for now, and this one looks like it'll wrap up this Summer, as planned on schedule.

Cards v. Hokies

Although they haven't played yet since Louisville entered the ACC (and in fact, only once since the Hokies joined the league), there is a little rivalry brewing off the field with one of Virginia Tech's conference brethren: a pair of head-to-head recruiting battles.

Of course, I've made it no secret that I expect TJ Quinn to pick Louisville today. The three-star out of South Georgia is a legacy (dad, Terry, was a running back in Derby City), and every vibe points in the direction of following in those footsteps. He has an older sister who attends Kentucky, even, a bit of convenience for the parents to make visits if they so desire.

One that's a little murkier is the case of three-star slot receiver Ahmari Huggins-Bruce.

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He's also basically down to the two programs, and while he's planned a July 1 commitment date, there has been some flimsiness in how firmly he wants to stick to that timeline. It could be because the Dillon (S.C.) High standout isn't quite set on a choice between his favorites, and thus doesn't want to arbitrarily set a date he must choose between them.

The tea leave have generally pointed in Louisville's favor: he established a commitment timeline as the Cards were picking up momentum in his recruitment, the Hokies have picked up players at his potential positions since initially being established as the favorite, etc.

Neither staff has been informed of his decision yet, though (another indicator that he might have set a commitment date without having a final choice in mind), and the Hokies - who are willing to accept his commitment, but may trend toward the agnostic side on how badly they want it - are neutral on where they think he ends up, while Louisville's staff is cautiously optimistic, but a little nervous.

My guess is still Louisville, but that's not a final answer yet.

Shawn Asbury

The Hokies hopped into the DC suburbs yesterday to offer 2021 DB/Ath Shawn Asbury. While he's just a two-star prospect, the staff really likes him. Perhaps just as importantly, he's a guy who helps re-build bonds in the area should they land him.

I do think they will land him, though I haven't heard that directly from Asbury's mouth yet (I was driving most of yesterday and haven't had the chance to connect with him).

The Hokies have planned to sign four safeties in this class - and have consistently told their targets that - with McMillon the top remaining priority. Earlier in the cycle, Quinn was the priority for that fourth and final spot. However, their interest in him faded just a touch (probably concurrent with his decision to lean more toward Louisville, in fairness), and the plan is now for that fourth guy to be more of a positionally-versatile one.

Asbury ticks those boxes, for sure. He could even play corner, even though he doesn't have that long, lean frame the staff prefers for the position, and while he's a bit of a developmental prospect right now, they like his physical potential. I'll have more on him in the coming days, but I will say I like the chances, and that I like this offer.

As always, thanks for reading. If you have friends who might be interested in the content and community at Hokie Haven, let them know about our current monthly offer.

All indications are that he was not likely to be reinstated to the team. Thus, this was something of a foregone conclusion:

Suspended DE hits the transfer portal

Tahjamell Bullock is a Hokie!

There are links to plenty of premium stories in there. If you're not a subscriber yet, I encourage you to join today (for a limited time only, a new monthly subscription comes with a free t-shirt!)

Another consequence of the coronavirus pandemic...

https://theacc.com/news/2020/6/17/2020-acc-football-kickoff-to-be-conducted-virtually.aspx

Including Naquan Brown. From @MFarrell:

How things stand with top five uncommitted LBs

As with Tahj Bullock’s visit, he can’t meet with the staff (and it’s not a visit in the eyes of the NCAA):

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He’s on the way back from vacation in Florida and visiting UF, so it’s not necessarily a special trip just to see campus. But given he’s already visited on a couple past occasions, it’s a significant step.

Seeing his two favorites back-to-back should be the beginning of the end of his recruitment.

He’d been tentatively planning this stop for a while, but firming it up is a positive.

...of swaying TreVeyon Henderson away from Ohio State, I wouldn't count on it:

https://virginiatech.rivals.com/new...in-with-ohio-state-everything-is-going-great-

We shall see if a strong year for VT opens some eyes, but this one's a ship that's sailed.

If you've been following, you know I'm expecting the Hokies here:

Tahj Bullock announcing his commitment today

You can safely say the three-star out of Georgia is not quite as high on the Hokies' board as he was a couple months back (his style is a lot like a poor man's Mattheus Carroll, in fact), but VT will get an official out of him if they want one:

Hokies make the top nine for DE Cole Nelson

Earlier this afternoon, three-star safety TJ Quinn revealed that he'll be making his college commitment this Thursday. My initial reaction was that this was good news for Louisville (and therefore bad for VT), then I thought about reasons it could be positive for the Hokies.

That was my speculation while waiting to hear back from sources close to a number of different parties (in Blacksburg, Louisville, and South Georgia).

After continuing to hear back from those groups, I can comfortably report (not guarantee, but report) that my initial instinct - he's following in Dad's footsteps and heading to Derby City - is the likely outcome here. The Hokies don't feel good about it, folks close to the Louisville program tell me that the Cards do, and most importantly, contacts in the Peach State are the most confident of all.

https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2021/tj-quinn-239421

So where does this leave VT safety recruiting? Frankly, I like Quinn a lot as a kid, and he's a decent player... but the Hokies should be able to recruit higher-upside players than he is (and I have full confidence that two of those are already in the fold, and most of the other realistic targets on the board meet that bill, as well). It's not the recruiting-industry classic "they're being saved from themselves" by any stretch of the imagination, but if the prospect they land rather than Quinn ends up being a better player... they won't lose sleep over it.

Numbers-wise, it could mean that they end up taking three safeties, rather than the four they've been telling prospects they'd planned to take (and from the VT end, maybe three was the long-term target all along, but they didn't want to hurt feelings by closing the door on guys early). Obviously Donovan McMillon, who's visited a couple times - including before he even held a Hokies offer - is the most realistic option there, and it's fair to say that there are some indications that he's better than his current ranking (not least of which is the offer list, though y'all are well aware of the reasons I think that's not the most reliable data point when trying to rank players).

Either way, Quinn coming off the board should be another step in the direction of the VT recruiting board getting more focused. Obviously there have been a number of players on it who the Hokies didn't really stand a legit chance, but among those who have been serious options (and in Quinn's case, who heavily favored the Hokies at one point), I bet the staff will be almost relieved to be able to focus on a smaller group without having to tell anyone "no thanks."

The updated recruiting board at the DB positions later this week should be able to provide some clarity about who's really in the mix (and from a simple administrative perspective on my end, that's a positive).

From @RivalsFriedman

Ranking the contenders: Audric Estime

A grad-transfer with two year of eligibility left (pending an interpretation of the rule that usually means a guy who transfers within the same division twice loses a year):

Justyn Mutts will be a Hokie!

He immediately improves the frontcourt ina big way: he was a high-usage but efficient player for a solid mid-major team last year.

With a breakdown from @RivalsFriedman

Analyst: Hokie receiver commit Jaylen Jones can get deep

I've already had my FutureCast on him in for the Hokies, but if I didn't, I would put it in after hearing how he enjoyed his visit:

Tahj Bullock's trip to Blacksburg gives him the information he needs

Welcome to Tunnel Talk, where I run down the latest insider info in Hokies recruiting.

O-Line outlook

I've mentioned multiple times through this recruiting cycle that, despite some high-profile misses (West Virginia commit Wyatt Milum is an obvious one), the coaching staff feels very good about where it stands in offensive line recruiting. This should be a slightly larger class at the position group after just two signees - possibly three, pending the long-term landing position of defensive end signee Derrell Bailey Jr. - in 2020, and not exactly a star-studded group. Despite that, the staff is letting some guys fall by the wayside.

That's a choice they're making. Your mileage may vary as to whether that's the right choice, but when you see guys like Troy Everett and Jaden Lindsay committing to Appalachian State "over" Virginia Tech, I wouldn't sweat it: the staff is allowing that to happen because they feel good about where they stand elsewhere (or because they think those prospects will be available despite those commitments should the Hokies want to push later in the process).

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A guy like Raleigh (N.C.) Leesville Road three-star tackle Andrew Canelas - who has the Hokies very high on his list despite not yet having the chance to make a trip to Blacksburg to see it in-person for himself - is one that VT knows could ultimately lay the groundwork for a group that's already off to a solid start with high-upside guard Danijel Miletic out of Germany.

Indeed, Canelas may not be on the verge of committing to Virginia Tech, but the first chance the 6-8, 310-pounder (and you'll note, that's the type of size the Hokies need to complement the more natural guard body types in recent classes) has to see town could go a long way toward telling the story of how this thing plays out. The expectation is that this outcome will be positive for VT, even if they're not a lock to land him. Others like fellow Carolina three-star Diego Pounds (who is more of the combo inside-outside guy we've seen in recent classes rather than the true tackle Canelas is) could help assuage VT fans' fears of a weaker class at the position, as well.

Of course, at this position as with most others, the staff also wants to leave a little room available in the class in case a strong Fall has them on the minds of highly-regarded prospects who wouldn't be particularly interested right now, as well.

Keli Lawson

In-state linebacker Keli Lawson has just a couple Power-5 offers, but they're from the two teams that might be the finalists in the end even if he had every offer a player could possibly want: in-state Virginia and Virginia Tech. The 6-4, 180-pounder is obviously far from a finished product, but has the frame to get much bigger by the time he arrives in college, and the ability to turn that added size into an impact player in college.

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Attending Stephens City (Va.) Sherando, Lawson has grown up a VT fan and the Hokies are considered the overwhelming favorite over the Cavaliers. He's been a little coy about a decision timeframe, but at the very least, I wouldn't expect his recruitment to last too long past the end of the emergency Dead Period and his opportunity to see both top options in-person one more time.

He's a litttttle far outside the DC area to be the sort of guy who changes a narrative about whether the Hokies are "back" in the DMV, but having success that inches closer to the region certainly can't hurt. The perception of VT's interest in recruiting its home state and the DMV area (whether fair or not) has taken damage in recent years, and it'll take some time to chip away at that, and every effort helps.

Bullock update

My interview with three-star quarterback Tahj Bullock after his trip to Blacksburg this weekend shows a guy who's trying not to tip his hand when it comes to the endgame of his recruitment. However reading between the lines in some of what he told me is not such a difficult endeavor.

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He wants to stick to a timeline of making a decision before his senior year of high school football begins, and even though we're technically in the midst of a Dead Period (which is why he could talk to the VT staff face-to-face during his time at Virginia Tech), he doesn't believe he has a need to see more schools when that period lifts.

Seeing VT in-person was the final step that allows him to be comfortable making a decision, and that swing through Blacksburg went extremely well. There are no guarantees in life, of course, but that reads very positively for the Orange and Maroon.

Ohio state forcing student-athletes to sign a waiver of liability so the school isn't responsible if voluntary workouts (and I think we all know what the word "voluntary" means in this context) give any of them COVID:

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That's pretty bottom-of-the-barrel when it comes to honor... and speaking of honor, it's called the "Buckeye Pledge," which makes it sound like some sort of loyalty test, not a "you can't sue us if we kill you" waiver.

Just repulsive.

Even more so than on the DL, the realistic/likely options are really starting to emerge:

Virginia Tech Hokies 2021 recruiting hotboard: Linebacker

Welcome to Tunnel Talk, with some of the latest information inside the world of the Hokies!

2021 Slot receivers

Virginia Tech has a solid receiving room building up, even with the decommitment of Latrell Neville (who plans to make a second commitment July 4). Jaylen Jones is a nice inside/outside combo guy, while Nykelius Johnson provides some explosiveness from the slot (or could end up on defense). Running back pledge Chance Black has the versatility to be a bigger slot receiver, should the Hokies' continued monitoring of running backs look like it ultimately will net them another commitment at the position.

While the Hokies definitely still need an outside receiver in the class - I was sort of always a skeptic on Neville's ceiling, but he fit that big, burly possession guy that complements speedier players - the staff continues to keep in touch with slots... but in a way that's pretty indicative (from out perspective, not really the way the prospects see it) of an intention to keep them on the back-burner, not really ramp up the attention.

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Baltimore St. Paul's three-star Kylen Austin picked up an early offer from the Hokies, and visited shortly before the emergency Dead Period descended. While he continues to hear from the coaches, the urgency of their recruitment of him has dialed way back. Visits to not only Blacksburg and Charlottesville, but also a number of Ivy League programs planned for the fall give an idea of where his priorities are (and where farther-flung Power-5 programs may evaluate his talent, as well).

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Unranked Richmond-area receiver Devin Bailey is another interesting one. He sort of has the same inside-outside skillset as current commit Jones, but VT gave him his first offer in April (when quarantine was well under way) and he hasn't picked up much attention from other programs since - Division III Hampden-Sydney College is the only other to join, while VMI has started to reach out but hasn't granted him an offer yet. Bailey's only contact with VT to date has come from special teams grad assistant Jack Tyler, which again probably shows you where he slots in to the pecking order for the Hokies. This is more - for now, at least - the type of "throw 'em a bone" in-state attention that they hadn't been doing enough of while blanketing Texas with offers (a combination that really riled up some coaches in the state, as we've talked about extensively).

For the time being, it's worth keeping these guys in mind, but the likelihood that they turn into priorities probably depends upon VT being out of the mix for much more highly-regarded players down the road.

Dillon Spalding

In-state receiver Dillon Spalding picked West Virginia "over" Virginia Tech in the 2018 class, but it really wasn't the prospect's choice: the Hokies ran out of room at the position with Tre Turner and Darryle Simmons headlining the class. Spalding's preference would have been to end up a Hokie.

Well, after a winding road, he's going to be able to accomplish that goal. He left West Virginia after one season, and ended up at James Madison in the Spring of 2019. Unfortunately, a hip injury caused him to retire from football. He left the Dukes' football program after the spring sessions in 2019, and remained a student last Fall through the Spring.

Without the sport keeping him tied to Harrisonburg, he will transfer to Virginia Tech. He does intend to give the game another go, but he'll be a walk-on, rather than a scholarship player. Given his medical history, it would not surprise if playing the game doesn't ultimately work out for him, but I would expect him to remain involved in the program even if suiting up doesn't ultimately play out.

Tahj Bullock

Just a quick one here: I haven't yet reconnected with the Hokies' top quarterback option after he'd planned to visit Blacksburg over the weekend.

I would assume things went very well (as they so often do when prospects visit campus for the first time), but I can't state that from a place of knowledge just yet. The hesitance going into the visit (again, as seems to be the case pretty often) was for a kid from New York City to experience what is essentially a college campus surrounded by a fairly rural environment. That's not to say the expectations were low, just that players don't know how they're going to feel about it until they actually get a chance to experience it.

I'll work to catch up with him for a reaction in the next couple days here.