The Hokies have added a pair of quarterbacks and a multi-position receiver from the NCAA Transfer Portal in the past week, but the roster for the upcoming 2022 season has not reached its final form yet. The coaching staff still has work to do, both in the Transfer Portal and in traditional high school recruiting before the traditional Signing Day in just over three weeks.
So what are the remaining needs?
Perhaps the biggest one (from both an immediate and developmental perspective) is pure pass rush. After Amare Barno graduated, there isn't a guy who's a pure (and purely talented) "get after the QB" edge rusher - though after a really disappointing final campaign, replacing Barno's production won't be as difficult, the priority is to find somebody who can outperform that. TyJuan Garbutt and Jaylen Griffin are the only returning defensive ends who notched even a single sack last year (though neither has officially announced taking advantage of the Covid year to come back in 2022, Garbutt's definitely planning to do so, and there's been no indication yet that Griffin is moving along).
A name that has emerged in the transfer portal is Miami (Ohio)'s Lonnie Phelps, who will be a redshirt junior this Fall. Phelps was second-team All-MAC last year, and more importantly, racked up 9.5 sacks (more than all Hokie DEs combined last year), which is the specific aspect of the game that VT really wants to develop. There hasn't been a formal offer yet, and Kansas is the highest-profile option currently on the table for the Cincinnati native. However, the Hokies are doing their due diligence and feel good about a chance to land him with a strong push.
As far as high school names go, Nuer Gatkuoth is seeing his recruitment heat up with the Hokies. A South Sudan native who's grown up in Canada, his class standing (as is often the case with Canadians) can be a little malleable, but after playing at Georgia Prep Academy this Fall, he's hoping to earn a scholarship offer in the 2022 class, and he'll be visiting Virginia Tech in January to try to convince the staff that he's sincerely interested - and deserving. If he doesn't like his options come National Signing Day, Georgia Prep offers post-grad years, so it's likely that he'd stick around for one last high school season. He plays linebacker right now at 6-4, 215, he's a lot like Barno in that he has a skillset and frame that portend a move down to the line in the long run (and since he's a high schooler, there's a little more time to develop him into that, unlike Barno who was playing OLB in junior college).
He's definitely one to keep a close eye on.
The staff is also continuing to evaluate offensive line options, but it seems like if the No. 1 target (Cornell grad transfer Hunter Nourzad) isn't the guy, they're not too invested in going to the Transfer Portal well for it - the return of Silas Dzansi is a big help in that department. The hope is that they ink longtime commit Xavier Chaplin, who will take an official visit to Michigan this weekend and then plans to see Blacksburg the following week. The staff is keeping tabs on other targets just in case, with Mississippi two-star McKale Boley one to keep a particular eye on. If the staff's feeling for landing Chaplin begins to fade, Boley should be on campus within the next couple weeks.
This weekend sees the coaches largely shift focus to the 2023 class, with a number of in-state visitors making their way to campus. With some of the top Virginians already committed elsewhere (primarily to Penn State, given that three of the top seven in-state players have already pledged to the Nittany Lions), it won't exactly be a blockbuster recruiting event, but look for some of the remaining top prospects to make their way. The top priority for now (we'll see if the Penn State flavor to the Hokies' coaching staff can help dislodge some of those PSU commits and have them reconsider the in-state program) is Life Christian Academy corner Antonio Cotman. My personal take is that he's underrated, and would be a massive pickup. He hasn't firmly established a visit for this weekend, but plans to see Blacksburg one of these weekend in January. Stay tuned there.
Speaking of in-state recruits in the 2023 class, it's going to be a very important year for a new coaching staff to prove that it has the ability to reel in top talent from close to home. I'll be putting together a primer soon to see exactly where some of the top players are - and the Hokies' chances to reestablish strength in the Commonwealth.
So what are the remaining needs?
Perhaps the biggest one (from both an immediate and developmental perspective) is pure pass rush. After Amare Barno graduated, there isn't a guy who's a pure (and purely talented) "get after the QB" edge rusher - though after a really disappointing final campaign, replacing Barno's production won't be as difficult, the priority is to find somebody who can outperform that. TyJuan Garbutt and Jaylen Griffin are the only returning defensive ends who notched even a single sack last year (though neither has officially announced taking advantage of the Covid year to come back in 2022, Garbutt's definitely planning to do so, and there's been no indication yet that Griffin is moving along).
A name that has emerged in the transfer portal is Miami (Ohio)'s Lonnie Phelps, who will be a redshirt junior this Fall. Phelps was second-team All-MAC last year, and more importantly, racked up 9.5 sacks (more than all Hokie DEs combined last year), which is the specific aspect of the game that VT really wants to develop. There hasn't been a formal offer yet, and Kansas is the highest-profile option currently on the table for the Cincinnati native. However, the Hokies are doing their due diligence and feel good about a chance to land him with a strong push.
As far as high school names go, Nuer Gatkuoth is seeing his recruitment heat up with the Hokies. A South Sudan native who's grown up in Canada, his class standing (as is often the case with Canadians) can be a little malleable, but after playing at Georgia Prep Academy this Fall, he's hoping to earn a scholarship offer in the 2022 class, and he'll be visiting Virginia Tech in January to try to convince the staff that he's sincerely interested - and deserving. If he doesn't like his options come National Signing Day, Georgia Prep offers post-grad years, so it's likely that he'd stick around for one last high school season. He plays linebacker right now at 6-4, 215, he's a lot like Barno in that he has a skillset and frame that portend a move down to the line in the long run (and since he's a high schooler, there's a little more time to develop him into that, unlike Barno who was playing OLB in junior college).
He's definitely one to keep a close eye on.
The staff is also continuing to evaluate offensive line options, but it seems like if the No. 1 target (Cornell grad transfer Hunter Nourzad) isn't the guy, they're not too invested in going to the Transfer Portal well for it - the return of Silas Dzansi is a big help in that department. The hope is that they ink longtime commit Xavier Chaplin, who will take an official visit to Michigan this weekend and then plans to see Blacksburg the following week. The staff is keeping tabs on other targets just in case, with Mississippi two-star McKale Boley one to keep a particular eye on. If the staff's feeling for landing Chaplin begins to fade, Boley should be on campus within the next couple weeks.
This weekend sees the coaches largely shift focus to the 2023 class, with a number of in-state visitors making their way to campus. With some of the top Virginians already committed elsewhere (primarily to Penn State, given that three of the top seven in-state players have already pledged to the Nittany Lions), it won't exactly be a blockbuster recruiting event, but look for some of the remaining top prospects to make their way. The top priority for now (we'll see if the Penn State flavor to the Hokies' coaching staff can help dislodge some of those PSU commits and have them reconsider the in-state program) is Life Christian Academy corner Antonio Cotman. My personal take is that he's underrated, and would be a massive pickup. He hasn't firmly established a visit for this weekend, but plans to see Blacksburg one of these weekend in January. Stay tuned there.
Speaking of in-state recruits in the 2023 class, it's going to be a very important year for a new coaching staff to prove that it has the ability to reel in top talent from close to home. I'll be putting together a primer soon to see exactly where some of the top players are - and the Hokies' chances to reestablish strength in the Commonwealth.
