Continuing our updated breakdowns of the recruiting area for the Hokies. I'll be breaking down where VT stands in the states it recruits, plus DC and the northeast, since the Hokies are only up there sporadically.

As always, what's posted here, STAYS HERE. Don't de-value your own subscription by giving away information to others who don't pay like you do. It's also a violation of our terms of service and will result in the termination of your subscription.

Most Recent Offers:
NONE

Top targets:
OL Richard Merritt, Archbishop Carroll (DC), four stars, No. 74 in Rivals100, No. 6 OG -- Searels
OL Jauan Williams, Archbishop Carroll (DC), four stars, No. 125 in Rivals250, No. 10 OT -- Searels
LB Aaron Hansford, St John's College Prep (DC), four stars, No. 249 in Rivals250 --- Burden
CB Deon Jones, Archbishop Carroll (DC), four stars, Rivals100 to watch for 2017 -- Burden

Recent Rivals Stories On VT DC Targets:
Merritt from HokieHaven.com, July 1: https://virginiatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1779695
Hansford from Rivals.com, June 18: https://virginiatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1775990
Williams from HuskerOnline.com, June 4: http://virginiatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1771933

Overview:
It's a bit quiet for the nation's capital right now in recruiting for the Hokies, save for one school, Archbishop Carroll. Virginia Tech had a trio (Merritt, Williams and Jones) from there visit for its spring game in April, but outside of that, it hasn't made a ton of noise, past getting Woodson (DC) three-star cornerback signee DuWayne Johnson this past February.

THE top target in DC remains Merritt, whom the Hokies have made one of the top priorities at offensive line for a while now. Merritt is still very much open to VT, saying that he loves assistant coach Stacy Searels and that he believes Searels will "take care of me." So far, that's been one of the only visits Merritt has made, which could really help the Hokies. Though a few Big Ten teams are in pursuit, the other two main players are Florida State and Florida, while Maryland will remain a contender until the end. Merritt said he grew up a Noles fan, but has never visited. He'll get that chance July 15, on a swing to visit both Florida schools. That could likely swing the pendulum in favor of FSU, but for now, almost by default, VT is in the lead. The big thing is when Merritt will be able to have surgery on a fractured ankle, which could alter his visit plans.

Williams has been open to the Hokies, but not nearly as high as his teammate. He also had good things to say about his VT spring game visit, but has looked more elsewhere. Maryland remains a very viable option, though he'll also make the Florida swing with Merritt. Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State are a few others in the hunt for Williams, who's visited nearly every school with Merritt. But with Merritt waiting word on surgery, we'll see how that affects his visit plans as well. Williams hadn't passed the SAT until recently, prompting him to look at Marshall and others, but with a better score, VT and others will be back in play.

Jones is a big-time recruit for the 2017 class. He's been more of a recluse thus far, with interviews, but has remained wide open in his recruitment. Getting him to visit for the spring game was a big deal. Jones visited Clemson and Alabama this spring, but hasn't done much traveling since the VT spring game. The Hokies will need to get him back on campus this fall to stay in the hunt.

VT has made a few other sniffs in DC, including with Hansford and Abdul Adams. But Adams seems firm for the moment in his Michigan State commitment, while Hansford has listed a number of other schools he's looking at, like Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State, Florida, North Carolina, Duke and Notre Dame, but hasn't made much of a mention of the Hokies.

Rivals national team analysis:
"They've got a couple of offers out to uncommitted guys in the 2016 class, the big one being Richard Merritt. He's the one who's taken the hardest look at the Hokies so far. I think they certainly stand a fighting chance. Other than Florida State, that could be the only other ACC team he's really taken a hard look at. But you've gotta look at some Big Ten teams and a couple of SEC teams as ones who could be out in front for him. Merritt is really the only big one VT has left for 2016.

In 2017, Virginia Tech has offered Deon Jones, a big-time defensive back. Other than Jones, they don't have a whole lot going in DC. There are a couple of guys I think could be offer guys, especially if you look at St John's, with Tyree Johnson, a three star athlete. And there are some other guys who are going to emerge in the area that I think Virginia Tech will get on pretty early."

-- Rivals.com mid-Atlantic analyst Adam Friedman

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Guys, our Adam Friedman can add more when the stories are released tomorrow, but just wanted to give you an update on basically the Hokies' top two OL targets for 2016.

First, South Caldwell (NC) Rivals100 OL Landon Dickerson still maintains VT and Tennessee at the top, but they're no longer alone. Auburn and Michigan are both making big pushes and he's set to camp in a few weeks at Florida State. The Hokies should still feel like they're in the best position right now, but they'll still have to fend those four off. Dickerson really likes OL coach Rick Trickett, so we'll see how that visit goes.

Imhotep Charter (Pa.) four-star OL Johncarlo Valentin has also emerged as likely the No. 2 top OL priority right now, especially after he visited VT June 14 for camp. Valentin gave me a top five on that day, but VT, Michigan and Temple are the three to beat. He really likes the prospect of playing at home and Michigan will be the one to watch to see how their other OL targets do. But the Hokies are also in excellent shape here, they'll just have to stay diligent and see how everything plays out.

Full stories coming, but as always, what's posted here, STAYS HERE. Don't de-value your own subscription by giving away information to others who don't pay like you do. It's also a violation of our terms of service and will result in the termination of your subscription.

Guys, the first numbered Rivals100 for the class of 2017 has been released. VT had a ton of guys make the cut, including Lamont Wade, who made a HUGE jump to No. 5. Story: http://rvls.co/1JJtOKk

Here's the full list of targets:

CB Lamont Wade, Clairton (Pa.), five stars, No. 5
CB William Poole III, Hapeville Charter (Ga.), five stars, No. 12
CB Shaun Wade, Trinity Christian (Fla.), four stars, No. 19
Safety Devon Hunter, Indian River (Va.), four stars, No. 26
RB D'Andre Swift, St Joseph's (Pa.), four stars, No. 29
RB Anthony McFarland, Dematha (Md.), four stars, No. 31
Safety Paris Ford, Seton La Salle (Pa.), four stars, No. 33
RB Khalan Laborn, Ocean Lakes (Va.), four stars, No. 34
QB Davis Mills, Greater Atlanta Christian (Ga.), four stars, No. 52
WR Tee Higgins, Oak Ridge (Tenn.), four stars, No. 58
WR OrTre Smith, Wando (SC), four stars, No. 61
CB Deon Jones, Archbishop Carroll (DC), four stars, No. 67
WR Jerry Jeudy, Deerfield Beach (Fla.), four stars, No. 71
DT Fred Hansard, Hun School (NJ), four stars, No. 78
LB Jordan Anthony, Good Counsel (Md.), four stars, No. 82
CB LeAnthony Williams, Roswell (Ga.), four stars, No. 89

Guys, I spoke just a little while ago with Cheshire Academy (Conn.) 2017 four-star WR Tarik Black. He's a member of the Rivals100 to watch for 2017 and who VT offered just last month.

Black said he's up to 17 offers. He has no favorites or leaders yet, but to give you an idea of where he's looking, he said he's visited Boston College, UCONN, Syracuse, Alabama, Ohio State and Michigan. But for now, he has no visits planned.

Black said he believes offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler is the one who told his coach he had an offer. But the coach he's been talking to has been assistant coach Zohn Burden. Black said he doesn't really know anything about the Hokies yet, but that he knows they have a good team and a good school. With Burden, Black said "He's a really cool guy and I can relate to him." Burden has told Black he needs to visit multiple times and Black said multiple times that he needs to.

The only visits Black has planned right now are to the Ohio State/Michigan game in November and he said he also knows he'll be going to games at Alabama and Rutgers. So for now, it's safe to assume those are his top four right now, unofficially. VT wants to get him down for a game, but that will also be tougher because it would be an unofficial and he would be footing the bill. So for now, the odds on this one are steep, but there's still time since he's a 2017 guy.

Full story coming, but as always, what's posted here, STAYS HERE. Don't de-value your own subscription by giving away information to others who don't pay like you do. It's also a violation of our terms of service and will result in the termination of your subscription.

The new basketball rankings came out today and VT's top two targets each got a bump, Fultz and DeLaurier. Here's where VT's targets ended up: http://rvls.co/1NDG5OS

SG Markelle Fultz, five stars, No. 23
PF Mamadi Diakite, four stars, No. 30
PF Javin DeLaurier, four stars, No. 40
PG Curtis Jones, four stars, No. 60
PG Eric Hester, four stars, No. 89
SG Kwe Parker, four stars, No. 90
C Jethro Tshisumpa, three stars, No. 121

http://manslife.com/4569/nfl-dad/ I say we offer Duece now.

Former VT AD Jim Weaver passed away last night after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease.

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/colum...cle_59742976-20c7-11e5-b3c7-736fb6a1149c.html

Definitely a sad day. Thank you for everything that you did for VT.

Guys, we've known this for a while that the odds were very high, but I got confirmation today that three-star safety Adonis Williamson and his teammate, Eric Whitehead are heading to junior college. They'll be there for at least a year, after failing to gain admission to VT.

Nassau CC inadvertently tweeted in April that Whitehead was headed there. But he still had two opportunities, with the ACT and SAT, to qualify. However, he's received his scores back from there and has fallen short. He'll indeed be at Nassau.

Williamson will attend ASA College in Brooklyn. He said he was pretty disappointed, but hopes to make the most of his chance. he's also glad he won't be that far away from Whitehead and right now, both plan to still be at VT. But we'll see what unfolds then. It's not a certainty that VT will want them by then or what the circumstances will be.

As always, what's posted here, STAYS HERE. Don't de-value your own subscription by giving away information to others who don't pay like you do. It's also a violation of our terms of service and will result in the termination of your subscription.

What is his current weight I know he was a little on the thin side if I am thinking correctly.

Guys, I posted this yesterday on the INsider chat, but for those who missed it, wanted to pass on what I heard from a pretty good source.

In talking with three-star LB Tavante Beckett, who said he works out with these guys, he tells me that Indian River (Va.) four-star CB Wayne Davis will pick VT and that Phoebus (Va.) four-star DB Robbie Robinson will pick Clemson. Again, this can always change, but this is coming from a guy who is around both players a lot. Davis is expected to be at VT's July 25 barbecue, while Robinson has never really been a target of the Hokies.

Just something to keep in mind.

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For winning the College World Series last night. Hard to believe this is the same team whom VT swept at home in March and who struggled just to get in the ACC Tourney. Ends a 60-year drought for the ACC in winning the CWS.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-b...lege-world-series-championship-033808225.html

When will the full schedule be released interested in seeing who tech will play at home and if there is any big teams.

I spoke earlier with Southwest-Onslow (NC) three-star DE Jimmie Taylor Jr. and his dad, Jimmie Sr. Junior just got an offer from VT a few weeks ago, his most recent one.

Taylor said he likes what he's seen from VT so far, with the academics, tradition and history in football. He told me he has a great relationship with assistant coach Charley Wiles and they talk about their future plans and how Wiles sees him as a hand in the dirt type of player. Taylor said he feels like he can be on the field all three downs.

The only school Taylor has been to recently was Michigan. He called it "an outstanding school" and said he loved talking to DJ Durkin and the rest of the staff there. Taylor said he also enjoyed the tour of the school and also talking with coach John Harbaugh. Taylor called him "One of the greatest coaches ever," so he's pretty high on the Wolverines.

Right now, it honestly sounds like Michigan and VT are towards the top, with no favorites right now. Taylor said he's visited NC State, Tennessee and South Carolina, but really didn't mention anything specific about any of those. He plans on visiting the Hokies July 25 for the barbecue and also wants to go to Wisconsin. Taylor's dad also mentioned going to Florida for the Friday Night Lights camp this month, so there's some interest there, too.

Taylor said if all goes well, he'll be committing somewhere at the end of the summer/beginning of the season, so likely early August. I do think Michigan has the edge, but VT can certainly impress on his visit and move up.

Full story coming, but as always, what's posted here, STAYS HERE. Don't de-value your own subscription by giving away information to others who don't pay like you do. It's also a violation of our terms of service and will result in the termination of your subscription.

I spoke just a little while ago with John Carroll (Fla.) three-star linebacker Brock Miller, whom Virginia Tech just offered last month. I reached out to see where everything stands.

Miller has 23 offers, most recently from the Hokies and Minnesota. What's ironic is that Miller's first ever college visit was actually to VT two years ago for a basketball camp. He said he toured campus, but everything on that trip was basketball-centered, so he toured all the basketball facilities and talked to then-coach James Johnson. That's also where his first college mail came from.

Miller now has talked a lot to assistant coach Charley Wiles on the phone. Miller said he really wants to get back to VT to see it from a football perspective. And it sounds like that's a good possibility for July 25 for the barbecue. That will be a much better indicator of where the Hokies stand, but for him to already have a little background could be big.

So far this spring, Miller visited Kentucky, NC State, Duke and Wake Forest. Miller was born in Charlotte and lived there until he was six or seven, then moved to Florida. But he still has a lot of family in North Carolina. That's a big reason he's looking at schools in the area. I also get the sense he wants to get out of Florida. Miller complained about the heat there a few times.

Coming up, Miller said he wants to visit Minnesota, VT, Mississippi State, Virginia and Miami. I get the sense that he's pretty open, but with him having background of the Hokies, his visit there could make a big difference. We'll see.

Full story coming, but as always, what's posted here, STAYS HERE. Don't de-value your own subscription by giving away information to others who don't pay like you do. It's also a violation of our terms of service and will result in the termination of your subscription.

Continuing our updated breakdowns of the recruiting area for the Hokies. I'll be breaking down where VT stands in the states it recruits, plus DC and the northeast, since the Hokies are only up there sporadically.

As always, what's posted here, STAYS HERE. Don't de-value your own subscription by giving away information to others who don't pay like you do. It's also a violation of our terms of service and will result in the termination of your subscription.

Most Recent Offers:
CB Therran Coleman, Brashear (Pa.), three stars, No. 55 CB, No. 14 in PA -- Loeffler/Gray
OL Robert Hainsey, Gateway (Pa.), four stars, Rivals100 to watch for 2017 -- Loeffler/Searels
LB David Adams, Central Catholic (Pa.), 2017, four stars -- Loeffler

Top targets:
RB Miles Sanders, Woodland Hills (Pa.), four stars, No. 53 in Rivals100 -- Loeffler -- PENN ST COMMIT
Safety Damar Hamlin, Central Catholic (Pa.), four stars, No. 109 in Rivals250 -- Loeffler/Gray
OL Johncarlo Valentin, Imhotep Inst. Charter (Pa.), four stars -- Searels/Brown
ATH Khaleke Hudson, McKeesport (Pa.), three stars, No. 39 ATH, No. 8 in PA -- Loeffler
CB Therran Coleman, Brashear (Pa.), three stars, No. 55 CB, No. 14 in PA -- Loeffler/Gray
CB Lamont Wade, Clairton (Pa.), four stars, Rivals100 to watch for 2017 -- Loeffler
ATH Paris Ford, Seton LaSalle (Pa.), four stars, Rivals100 to watch for 2017 -- Loeffler

Recent Rivals Stories On VT PA Targets:
Valentin from HokieHaven.com, June 15: http://virginiatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1775062
Hudson from HuskerOnline.com, June 28: http://virginiatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1778529
Adams from Rivals.com, June 25: http://virginiatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1778021

Overview:
The biggest news from the Keystone State this month is with Valentin. He visited Virginia Tech for the first time in June 14, bringing a few of his teammates to camp. Valentin didn't participate and didn't need to, but spent plenty of time talking with the Hokies coaches and players who were on hand. To give you an idea of just how important Valentin is, even assistant coach Stacy Searels' wife spoke with him. And his comments after the camp are extremely high on Virginia Tech. The Hokies have to be considered one of the very top contenders here, among a top five he gave of VT, Michigan, Auburn, Temple and South Carolina. This one will likely come down to official visits as he has no plans to announce any time soon, but the Hokies are in excellent position.

As shown below, Hamlin released a top 10 last month that includes the Hokies. And this is one of those cases where that's significant, since he hasn't visited before. Hamlin is another target VT is trying to get to visit for its July 25 barbecue, but there's been nothing definitive on him yet. Still, the odds are high that he'll take an official visit to Blacksburg this fall and if that happens, the Hokies could be in even better position.

Sanders has said multiple times that he's solid with Penn State. But at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by Under Armour, he said the two schools he's looking at taking official visits to are Pittsburgh and VT. Sanders has thrown out other schools as possibilities, but it looks as if anyone will pry him from the Nittany Lions, it's the Hokies and Panthers. That will still be very difficult to do.

Also at the Rivals Five-Star Challenge, Wade was a bit of a surprise in talking up VT. He said he'll definitely visit VT and Maryland this summer, though his Hokies visit hasn't happened yet. It's still very much in the air what Wade will do, but this is definitely one to watch.

The biggest attention for Pennsylvania is towards the 2017 class, but the two others to watch for 2016 are Coleman, a new offer and Hudson. The latter just placed VT in his top 10. It still looks like a longshot unless he visits and he hasn't said he'll do so, as he appears to be feeling out the field in that top 10. Coleman is relatively new on the offer board and the Hokies still haven't gone in on a full press yet, but depending on how they fair with remaining DB targets, they could still do so.

In 2017, watch Adams, OL Joshua Lugg and DE Damion Barber as three more that VT could start going after harder. Of the three, Adams has spoken highly on the Hokies thus far.

Rivals national team analysis:
"Pennsylvania is becoming a big area that Virginia Tech is focusing on, especially western Pennsylvania. Therran Coleman is someone who comes to mind, the defensive back out of Brashear. I would definitely expect him to take a visit to Virginia Tech and he's a great player, too, about 6'1" and 1890 pounds. He's a guy who, based on this upcoming season, could move up the rankings a little bit. I think he's talented enough to merit a four-star ranking or something close to that. I know Virginia Tech has been showing a lot of interest in him and they offered not long ago. That's a big move for them.

Looking elsewhere, they're doing work in the state, like with the Jackson twins (James Jackson & Tim Jackson), with both of them. If their grades get a little better, I would expect them to both get Hokies offers and eventually visit. Virginia Tech is also doing well with Lamont Wade and he's expressed interest in visiting soon. Virginia Tech is also in on Damar Hamlin and they have a good shot there.

David Adams is a guy who Virginia Tech loves. They're working on him really hard and really trying to stay on guys at Central Catholic. Josh Lugg is a guy they've offered and who Virginia Tech should work hard on. I would expect him to stay interested just because his ability to play early there."

-- Rivals.com mid-Atlantic analyst Adam Friedman

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For those interested, here's our latest story on Kearns: http://rvls.co/1NGE4kY

Looking like GT or VT right now, barring something on his Kentucky visit.

Alright guys, we're pretty split and even on two times, so now, it's time to cast your vote for one of those two. There's no way we're going to be able to fit into everyone's schedules, but my goal is to work with as many of you as possible. And as I always say during our chats, if you miss it, you can always make a post on this board or email me directly.

The majority time will begin in this week's chat.

Guys, I spoke earlier with Rome (Ga.) OL Patrick Kearns, who's looking more and more like a top target for the Hokies. Assistant coach has said he wants at least one OL from Georgia in each class and Kearns is looking more and more like the one Searels wants most.

Kearns said his most recent offers are from Indiana, Kentucky and Georgia Tech. And this spring, he visited Ole Miss, Georgia and LSU for camps, with no offers there and also visited Georgia Tech, NC State, Virginia Tech and Duke.

The visit to Blacksburg came on June 15. Kearns said he "liked everything about it" and enjoyed seeing the new practice facility. He also spent a lot of time talking to Searels and called him "My kind of guy, my kind of coach." Kearns said he likes how he would fit in and enjoyed talking to coach Frank Beamer as well.

Last month, Kearns gave a top three of Georgia Tech, NC State and Kentucky. He said the Hokies are in that top grouping, too. Right now, the only visit he said he'll be taking is to Kentucky sometime in the next few weeks. And as it stands, Kearns plans on committing by the end of the month.

I think VT is in excellent position, but Georgia Tech seems to be the biggest contender. Kearns seemed unsure of the UK visit, so if he does, that could change, but right now, it looks like a battle of the Techs.

Full story coming, but as always, what's posted here, STAYS HERE. Don't de-value your own subscription by giving away information to others who don't pay like you do. It's also a violation of our terms of service and will result in the termination of your subscription.

Guys, just to follow up on an earlier post, here's our story on Jim Weaver with Tweets from a number of Hokies:

http://rvls.co/1T8TOQN

From our partners at the ACC Digital Network, a look at Isaiah Ford and comments from coach Frank Beamer:
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Some sad news being reported by David Teel on Twitter. Former Virginia Tech AD Jim Weaver passed away last night. He retired in 2013 while continuing to battle Parkinson's Disease.

Weaver was instrumental in developing the Virginia Tech athletic program to where we see it today. His work elevating the Hokies to the ACC as well as upgrading facilities across the board was tremendous.

A sad day in Hokie nation for sure.

Continuing our updates of the recruiting areas for the Hokies. I'll be breaking down where VT stands in the states it recruits, plus DC and the northeast, since the Hokies are only up there sporadically.

As always, what's posted here, STAYS HERE. Don't de-value your own subscription by giving away information to others who don't pay like you do. It's also a violation of our terms of service and will result in the termination of your subscription.

Most Recent Offers:
LB Jordan Anthony, Good Counsel (Md.) four stars, Rivals100 to watch for 2017 -- Burden
OL Marcus Minor, DeMatha (Md.), three stars (2017) -- Searels
WR Daniel George, Oxon Hill (Md.) (2018) -- Burden

Top targets:
OL Terrance Davis, Dematha (Md.), No. 122 in Rivals250, No. 6 OG, No. 5 in MD -- Searels
WR Tino Ellis, Dematha (Md.), four stars, No. 163 in Rivals250, No. 35 WR, No. 6 in MD -- Burden
LB Keith Simms, Landon School (Md.), four stars, No. 22 OLB, No. 9 in MD -- Burden
LB Cameron Brown, Bullis (Md.), four stars, No. 24 OLB, No. 12 in MD -- Burden
RB Anthony McFarland, Dematha (Md.), four stars, Rivals100 to watch for 2017 -- Burden
LB Nathan Proctor, Lackey (Md.), three stars (2017) -- Burden

Recent Rivals Stories On VT MD Targets:
Minor from HokieHaven.com, June 15: http://virginiatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1775168
Davis from Rivals.com, June 18: https://virginiatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1776022
Simms from TerrapinSportsReport.com, June 13: http://virginiatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1774640
Brown from PantherLair.com, June 29: http://virginiatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1778827

Overview:
There's really only two schools in the entire state to watch with the Hokies and they're two big ones, DeMatha and Good Counsel. As Virginia Tech has moved more into North Carolina and Georgia, two big-time states for talent, the focus appears to have shifted from Maryland, at least for the time being.

The Hokies have fallen out with a number of prospects for 2016, recently losing four-star DT Ellison Jordan to Penn State and three-star OL Stephen Spanellis to Virginia. They also missed the cut for Brown, who announced a top five last night of Pittsburgh, Penn State, North Carolina, Notre Dame and USC and haven't been mentioned much at all by Simms. Davis is also a longshot, as he's mentioned seemingly every other school but Virginia Tech of late.

Now for the good news. Ellis remains the top target and honestly, it changes sometimes by the day who is in front. One day, the Hokies seem like the favorite, others it's Maryland. There's little doubt that it will come down to those two. The good news is that of late, more days Virginia Tech has seemed like the favorite. Ellis still plans to decide on July 31 and for the Hokies, they have to get him on campus one more time, July 25-26 for the barbecue/camp weekend, to feel good about their chances. It's not a definite he'll visit, but it looks good. That would give VT one more chance to sell itself, get Ellis around his cousin, Donovan Riley, former teammate Cam Phillips and let the coaches show him more love. That will be the best indicator of where the Hokies stand with arguably the best shot at another Maryland recruit for 2016.

Another Dematha product Virginia Tech is excited about is Minor. He camped with the Hokies June 14 and was promptly offered shortly after. Minor is still a bit raw, but has great size, great hands and moves well. He just needs to refine everything more at this point. Getting him to camp and visit was important, as East Carolina and Temple have also offered and he'll add plenty more. It's still early, but Minor was very excited about the offer and spoke very highly of his visit. Minor's teammate, McFarland, also visited earlier this spring and would be a monumental get in the backfield. Long way to go there, though, but Virginia Tech has to stay diligent.

At Good Counsel, the focus is on 2017. A pair of defenders, Anthony and three-star linebacker Ayinde Eley. It's plenty early for both of them, but the Hokies are good early on. The one guy to watch not at the two aforementioned high schools is Proctor at Lackey. Proctor has been high on Virginia Tech even before an offer came earlier this spring and will remain a top target.

Rivals national team analysis:
"The big one still is Tino Ellis, with a decision coming at the end of the month. I really think it's gonna come down to Virginia Tech and Maryland and we'll have to see if they can overcome this 'movement' of DMV to MD and I think his decision might have a little bit to do with what Trevon Diggs does. He was supposed to commit this Saturday, July 4, but there's a possibility he does not commit this weekend. If it drags on until after Tino's scheduled commitment, there's a possibility that Tino would jump on Maryland before Trevon. But if Trevon commits before Tino, Tino might shy away from Maryland.

Eric Burrell remains a target, someone who should have interest in Virginia Tech, judging by the way they've done really well with defensive backs. In 2017, the new offer, Minor, is a fantastic prospect. I see him moving up the rankings when the 2017 update comes next week. I like him a lot. Eley is also a prospect on the rise. He has the frame and skillset that Keandre Jones had at an early age. If he continues to develop, he could really be a big time player.

Virginia Tech has also done well with Proctor. That's a school he's had an eye on and kept in contact with. He's gonna be a national prospect, but could make more noise on the national scene than he has. Daniel George is a beast, 6'1" and 200 pounds, but this guy can really play. He's dominating guys older than him already. A big-bodied receiver who can pull away from defensive backs, which is impressive for a guy his age. Good hands and he'll be a national guy as the weeks progress."

-- Rivals.com mid-Atlantic analyst Adam Friedman

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Guys, I just spoke a little earlier with Indian River (Va.) three-star linebacker Tavante Beckett, the No. 21 ranked player in Virginia. Got a few big tidbits and a few new pieces of info.

First off, Beckett said he has a top two of Wisconsin and VT. But as of right now, I'l tell you right off the bat, the Badgers are the clear leader here. Beckett told me multiple times how he wants to get away. With Wisconsin, he likes the fan base, he likes what he's seen on TV and YouTube and he also likes how the Badgers have used smaller linebackers. Beckett believes that would help make him a good fit.

With the Hokies, Beckett said he grew up always wanting an offer from them. He said he likes assistant coach Bryan Stinespring and has since he began recruiting Beckett after his sophomore year. Beckett said he feels like he can talk about anything with Stinespring and that they talk at least once a week, but usually every couple of days.

The main thing here is that Beckett said he's never been to Wisconsin. The dead period ends July 12 and Beckett said he wants to go sometime soon after that. He also wants to visit VT and East Carolina, before he makes a decision likely at the end of July. He'll be making that decision on the radio with VirginiaPreps.com. So VT and Wisconsin on top, Badgers in the lead, with East Carolina hanging around in contention.

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