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
Social Media:
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
Social Media:
