Virginia Tech hosted some important recruits for the opening weekend of Spring practice, with perhaps none more important than 2019 DE/OLB Brandon Smith and CB/Ath Sheridan Jones. Both have visited multiple times in the past, but the Hokies made headway with each on their Saturday trips.
Smith has always seemed like a prospect who - despite repeated trips to campus - doesn't seem to have that vibe with Virginia Tech that is so important in the recruiting process. While that's not going to change overnight, VT is certainly doing everything they can to improve their standing in his eyes. That included giving him a bit of a pitch around Tremaine Edmunds's career, since Smith has made his preference to be a versatile outside linebacker (rather than a weakside end) clear. He was also impressed to see other recruits and 2018 signees on campus: knowing that they picked VT because they simply like hanging out there is a key for him. There's still a long way to go, and the nationally elite recruiting programs still seem to have a big piece of his heart. But the feeling in Blacksburg about him is on a steady upward trajectory.
Jones visited with a teammate, Keandre Lambert, who picked up an offer on the trip (along with a couple other friends and their high school coaches). Seeing Lambert get the offer - and sort of seeing the "VT values players from my school and area" factor - was something that made an impact on Jones. He visited so often early in the process that I'd have pegged him as an early commit if he'd remained in the 2020 class, but moving up his high school graduation to 2019 has sort of changed the paradigm for Jones (and shifted a bunch of other schools into overdrive on his recruitment). VT remains in good shape, and continuing to bring him on campus is a big deal.
There were other key recruits in town - perhaps most notably Kentucky offensive lineman Bryan Hudson, who is very high on VT early in the process, and doesn't intend to be one who extends his recruitment as long as possible. I haven't had time to catch up with his camp, but from VT's end, things seemed to go very well. With potential linemate Jesse Hanson dropping by (and giving a bit of a recruiting pitch in the process), there was a lot for Hudson to like, at the very least. I would say the same for Georgia OL Riley Simonds (though again, I haven't caught up with his camp about the visit).
Another I haven't spoken to is Litchfield Ajavon, the in-state defensive back. I would expect that the majority of his attention remains focused on national programs like Notre Dame, and although he's a Rivals100 player, the effort in drawing him away from those schools (when there are other DBs available who are also of outstanding caliber) may not be worth it to VT.
Smith has always seemed like a prospect who - despite repeated trips to campus - doesn't seem to have that vibe with Virginia Tech that is so important in the recruiting process. While that's not going to change overnight, VT is certainly doing everything they can to improve their standing in his eyes. That included giving him a bit of a pitch around Tremaine Edmunds's career, since Smith has made his preference to be a versatile outside linebacker (rather than a weakside end) clear. He was also impressed to see other recruits and 2018 signees on campus: knowing that they picked VT because they simply like hanging out there is a key for him. There's still a long way to go, and the nationally elite recruiting programs still seem to have a big piece of his heart. But the feeling in Blacksburg about him is on a steady upward trajectory.
Jones visited with a teammate, Keandre Lambert, who picked up an offer on the trip (along with a couple other friends and their high school coaches). Seeing Lambert get the offer - and sort of seeing the "VT values players from my school and area" factor - was something that made an impact on Jones. He visited so often early in the process that I'd have pegged him as an early commit if he'd remained in the 2020 class, but moving up his high school graduation to 2019 has sort of changed the paradigm for Jones (and shifted a bunch of other schools into overdrive on his recruitment). VT remains in good shape, and continuing to bring him on campus is a big deal.
There were other key recruits in town - perhaps most notably Kentucky offensive lineman Bryan Hudson, who is very high on VT early in the process, and doesn't intend to be one who extends his recruitment as long as possible. I haven't had time to catch up with his camp, but from VT's end, things seemed to go very well. With potential linemate Jesse Hanson dropping by (and giving a bit of a recruiting pitch in the process), there was a lot for Hudson to like, at the very least. I would say the same for Georgia OL Riley Simonds (though again, I haven't caught up with his camp about the visit).
Another I haven't spoken to is Litchfield Ajavon, the in-state defensive back. I would expect that the majority of his attention remains focused on national programs like Notre Dame, and although he's a Rivals100 player, the effort in drawing him away from those schools (when there are other DBs available who are also of outstanding caliber) may not be worth it to VT.
