Welcome to Tunnel Talk! Rather than intermittent "EXTRA" editions, I'm going to try to be a little more regular on recruiting and team updates. for the time being, I'm aiming every couple days, but it's really going to depend on how regularly worthwhile information is available.
Davis fallout
Dematrius Davis made his commitment to Auburn this morning, which was expected from the instant he decommitted from the Hokies (and frankly, for a few weeks before that happened). Had he committed anywhere else - including Virginia Tech - there was a pretty good chance that it wouldn't have been his final commitment. Since it was the Tigers, though, it'll take quite a bit for him to end up anywhere other than The Plains.
His father's comments on the radio program on which Davis made his commitment are informative.
"I'm happy," he said. "I'm just happy that he's going to be closer to home."
It wasn't presented explicitly as a contrast to Virginia Tech, but it's hard to read it any other way. The Hokies can and should pick and choose to recruit on a national scale, but the fact of the matter is, relying on getting the majority of your class from out of the region, and specifically from an area (Houston) that is more than a full days' drive or an inconvenient and expensive plane flight away... well, you'll have intermittent success, but the consistency with which you'll be able to beat out the Big 12 and SEC schools for players from the area (and you need to beat out those teams here and there to get players worth pulling out of the region) isn't worth sacrificing your success closer to home.
Moreover, the cost of not trying to rely on Texas is much, much less than the cost of not putting in the same level of effort close to home. The hurt feelings factor plays differently (more likely: not at all) the farther from home you get.
Ripple effects?
So, with Davis off the board to the expected destination, what does that mean for the commitment of his close friend Latrell Neville? There's no secret that Davis's commitment to Virginia Tech played a major role in Neville opting to head to Blacksburg as well. one of his major touchpoints to the Hokie program is gone.
While Neville reaffirmed his commitment to VT last week, I wouldn't read too much into that as it relates to what's actually happening in his recruitment (see also: Davis not including Auburn on his list of "finalists" even though everyone knew that was where he was going). Perhaps he does still end up a Hokie. His statements are still more platitude than meaningful data point in his recruitment.
When the Davis rumors went from innuendo to true smoke, our sources in Texas actually indicated that it was Neville who was more likely to decommit (and perhaps was the one of the duo sort of encouraging that the pair of them seek greener pastures together). Now that the Davis factor isn't tying him to VT, it's possible that those close to him who have long been pushing a "play in the SEC or you won't be prepared for the NFL" angle will get their way.
I don't think there's any immediacy to possible changes in Neville's commitment status, but fans will certainly be wise to keep an eye on him.
Dead Period blues
Unfortunately for Virginia Tech, they've expanded the offer net in a big way over the past two months... and a lot of those players who didn't already have close connections (and past visits) to the program won't have the opportunity to check out Blacksburg for the foreseeable future. Because of that, I'd pay attention mostly to the longer-standing recruitments when it comes to the span of the current emergency situation.
That's not to say it's a hard-and-fast rule - Tyas Martin committed during the Dead Period, sight-unseen without ever visiting Blacksburg - but certainly as a rule of thumb, you'd expect most players to want to see campus before committing.
Of course, legacy DB Jalen Stroman already has a commitment date established (May 22) after multiple past trips to campus, and he's definitely one to keep an eye on. Other regular visitors - like Georgia DB TJ Quinn - have specific timelines or recruiting plans that stretch beyond the near-term future. Still more don't have specific plans, but seem likely to go through the process, like the Burrell twins out of South Carolina.
There could - should - still be some action thanks to existing familiarity, electronic communication, etc. However, as noted at the top of this section, exciting developments are most likely to happen when visitors can return to campus.
