Virginia Tech hosted some of its top remaining Class of 2017 targets - along with a handful of commitments - and the weekend couldn't have gone much better. Here's the latest buzz out of Blacksburg.
Starting with the newest commit, from Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy running back Terius Wheatley. He didn't publicize his visit (the whole family has aways been very quiet about the recruiting process in general), so the commit came as a bit of a surprise for that reason. However, VT was the first - and only major - contender for the prep school player, which makes the pledge understandable. The Hokies' coaching staff is excited about him, especially his versatility, even though the initial plan is to use him as a lightning complement to the more thunderous Jalen Holston in the class. Wheatley is far from a finished product (and my personal take is that it wouldn't surprise to see him end up at another spot, because he hasn't shown the natural running back instincts and smoothness yet), but the staff likes his pure speed. He's a project player nonetheless, but one they can truly work with.
The most important visitor, on the other hand, was Chesapeake (Va.) Indian River safety Devon Hunter. There's no need to beat a dead horse in stating why he's such a big deal for VT to land in this class, of course. Things couldn't have gone better for Hunter this weekend, and he's given the coaching staff - and not for the first time during his process - the indication that they'll be very tough to beat for his signature. The issue is that other schools know who the competition is (and will angle the pitches toward taking down the Hokies in his mind), and a few of them will have the opportunity to sway him going forward. Tough to complain about being in a strong pole position, though.
One who saw a change in his recruitment this weekend was Wake Forest (N.C.) defensive tackle Xach Gill. The three-star had been planning to announce a commitment today, but will push it back one more week. The Virginia Tech staff does not feel that the change is because they convinced him to become a Hokie rather than a Tar Heel (which is what today's announcement would have been to announce), but they do think that they're truly in the mix now, instead of looking up at UNC. There's a shot here, but still work to be done in the next seven days.
Nathan Proctor has seemed back-and-forth in how seriously he'll be considering the Hokies, but on the heels of this visit, the Indian Head (Md.) Lackey four-star will keep VT in the mix until the end. He's intrigued by a need for linebackers - and the fact that, even though there are already LBs in the class, none have a similar physical profile to him. That's not to say he's a done deal, but major strides were made here (albeit when playing from behind against Penn State and perhaps even Maryland prior to the visit).
One other player whose list hasn't always included Virginia Tech is Bridgeton (N.J.) four-star athlete Markquese Bell. In fact, he's been close to committing to a couple different Big Ten schools (Michigan over the summer, Ohio State earlier this fall), but got a vibe that neither really prioritized him by the time he was ready to make the call. That could be VT's gain, since they hit it out of the park - probably the most out of any visitor in attendance. A long, tall high school safety who's likely to grow into a linebacker, he fits a specific need for the Hokies as that athletic OLB type, and a potential heir apparent to Tremaine Edmunds.
There has never been a mystery about how much Jacksonville (Fla.) Sandalwood cornerback Ameer Speed likes VT. He's been on multiple unofficial visits to campus, and now his official trip. While the Hokies missed out on his teammate, Quran Hafiz, this summer, Speed is the major prize - and one that I find pretty underrated still, as just the No. 38 corner nationally. Getting to spend time with his friend Aundre Ricardo-Kearney, who will enroll in just a few weeks, made for a good feeling of comfort all weekend, and becoming familiar with the town after so many trips helps, as well.
Victor Dimukeje doesn't give a whole lot away about where his feelings lie, but the coaching staff is cautiously optimistic after his official visit. He's a defensive end for Baltimore Boys Latin, but at an underdeveloped 245 pounds, could easily grow into a defensive tackle (especially because his 6-2 height is a better fit on the inside). This feels like a battle more than any of the above - except maybe Proctor - with other ACC programs still in the mix.
VT has seemed like at least as strong a contender for Stephens City (Va.) Sherando linebacker Dylan Rivers as Penn State - the school he's committed to - for several weeks now. Again, the staff feels good about their chances, though the committed players who were visiting this weekend didn't get a good feel for where he stands. He plans to let the process play out while committed to the Nittany Lions, so if there's a flip, it might not happen until the 11th hour. That's fine with the coaching staff, which will have a much better idea where it stands with other linebackers on the board by the time Rivers wants to make a switch (or officially not make one).
That's the news from the VT end of things, keep an eye out this week for updates with as many of the visitors as we can track down.
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