Welcome to another edition of Tunnel Talk. We run through some of the latest - and upcoming - developments in Virginia Tech recruiting, with an insider perspective.
Who's next?
With an in-state commitment Friday afternoon, there's a little bit of momentum behind the Hokies on home turf. Jaylen Jones - the No. 48 player in the state in the latest rankings - is not going to be a game-changer in terms of altering the perception, but it's at the very least a step in the right direction.
Don't forget, legacy DB Jalen Stroman will be announcing a commitment between VT, Virginia, and Pitt Friday afternoon (you can always see the upcoming recruiting schedule here), and I've long maintained the the Hokies are the favorite as long as they continue to want him. They certainly would still love to have Greg Stroman's younger brother follow in the former All-ACC selection's footsteps, so that's one box checked. Have the coaches been putting in enough effort to maintain the distance they had on the field? My belief is that they have, though Virginia has pushed hard for the younger Stroman, as well.
I would nonetheless expect good news Friday, though Stroman has been quiet enough in the late stages of his recruitment that surprises are theoretically possible.
The in-state momentum is beginning to build a bit more buzz with players who could help it build. Local offensive lineman Troy Everett sort of surprised me when he didn't immediately pull the trigger on the VT offer he received April 9. He has a number of Ivies among his mid-major and lower-level offers, but the Hokies remain his only Power-5 opportunity, and he grew up a fans who visited multiple times before picking up the offer.
As I've maintained close contact with him, the hold-up has seemed to be simple due diligence about figuring out where he fits in the Hokies' minds. He doesn't want to commit just to become a pawn in some "see, look, we're recruiting the in-state players" game, nor one simply to help keep relationships strong at his school, given Lord Botetourt is emerging as something of a talent magnet (including a Rivals100 lineman in the 2022 class). A mid-major program provides a clearer path to contributing on the field, so Everett wants to make sure that the staff values him as a football player and student-athlete, not just PR cover.
Of course, it is indeed the case that offensive line coach Vance Vice truly likes the kid's game. Everett has developing skill to go along with natural talent - and the nasty attitude that Vice so enjoys - and a frame that's adequate for a Power-5 player.
As Vice has continued to reiterate those points with Everett, he may get closer to a decision in the short-term.
Jones the choice
For a while, Dillon (S.C.) wide receiver Ahmari Huggins-Bruce looked close to a sure-thing to be a member of Virginia Tech's class. He visited Blacksburg much more than he visited any other campus (probably more than he visited all others combined), and made no secret that the Hokies were his top choice.
However, that's faded over time. If the Hokies had pushed, they may have been able to snag a very early commitment from him, but they wanted to make sure they did their due diligence at the position before nabbing the "sure thing" commitment. With that decision, he's only at a point where he's naming a top 12 (story on that later today). Your mileage may vary as to whether getting some positive recruiting buzz a few months ago would have been the right move.
However, it's fair to say that the coaching staff has, to some extent, chosen the versatility of Nykelius Johnson and Jaylen Jones at the slot position over Huggins-Bruce, who's mostly constrained by skillset to slot.
The buzz in Blacksburg is that a more finished product like Huggins-Bruce - but with a lower upside in the long run - wasn't determined to be the greatest need. Tayvion Robinson will be just a junior when the Class of 2021 arrives on-campus, giving the incoming players at his position some time to develop behind him before they'll be relied upon. A player with Jones's great upside makes sense in the class, even if he's not going to be an immediate contributor. Of course, he still has another year at the high school level to start approaching that ceiling, as well (though some of the things he'll need to work on - such as adjusting to a higher level of competition - won't be possible until he arrives at the next level).
From this observer's perspective - and keep in mind that Huggins-Bruce will remain an option down the road, the choice was largely just that he's not in the class yet when he might have otherwise been by now - the strict talent and floor/ceiling decision was probably the right one. In terms of ripple effects, it remains to be seen, but certainly there's a case for either choice.
Just a couple in-depth updates in this edition. As always, stay tuned to HokieHaven.com for the latest.
Who's next?
With an in-state commitment Friday afternoon, there's a little bit of momentum behind the Hokies on home turf. Jaylen Jones - the No. 48 player in the state in the latest rankings - is not going to be a game-changer in terms of altering the perception, but it's at the very least a step in the right direction.
Don't forget, legacy DB Jalen Stroman will be announcing a commitment between VT, Virginia, and Pitt Friday afternoon (you can always see the upcoming recruiting schedule here), and I've long maintained the the Hokies are the favorite as long as they continue to want him. They certainly would still love to have Greg Stroman's younger brother follow in the former All-ACC selection's footsteps, so that's one box checked. Have the coaches been putting in enough effort to maintain the distance they had on the field? My belief is that they have, though Virginia has pushed hard for the younger Stroman, as well.
I would nonetheless expect good news Friday, though Stroman has been quiet enough in the late stages of his recruitment that surprises are theoretically possible.
The in-state momentum is beginning to build a bit more buzz with players who could help it build. Local offensive lineman Troy Everett sort of surprised me when he didn't immediately pull the trigger on the VT offer he received April 9. He has a number of Ivies among his mid-major and lower-level offers, but the Hokies remain his only Power-5 opportunity, and he grew up a fans who visited multiple times before picking up the offer.
As I've maintained close contact with him, the hold-up has seemed to be simple due diligence about figuring out where he fits in the Hokies' minds. He doesn't want to commit just to become a pawn in some "see, look, we're recruiting the in-state players" game, nor one simply to help keep relationships strong at his school, given Lord Botetourt is emerging as something of a talent magnet (including a Rivals100 lineman in the 2022 class). A mid-major program provides a clearer path to contributing on the field, so Everett wants to make sure that the staff values him as a football player and student-athlete, not just PR cover.
Of course, it is indeed the case that offensive line coach Vance Vice truly likes the kid's game. Everett has developing skill to go along with natural talent - and the nasty attitude that Vice so enjoys - and a frame that's adequate for a Power-5 player.
As Vice has continued to reiterate those points with Everett, he may get closer to a decision in the short-term.
Jones the choice
For a while, Dillon (S.C.) wide receiver Ahmari Huggins-Bruce looked close to a sure-thing to be a member of Virginia Tech's class. He visited Blacksburg much more than he visited any other campus (probably more than he visited all others combined), and made no secret that the Hokies were his top choice.
However, that's faded over time. If the Hokies had pushed, they may have been able to snag a very early commitment from him, but they wanted to make sure they did their due diligence at the position before nabbing the "sure thing" commitment. With that decision, he's only at a point where he's naming a top 12 (story on that later today). Your mileage may vary as to whether getting some positive recruiting buzz a few months ago would have been the right move.
However, it's fair to say that the coaching staff has, to some extent, chosen the versatility of Nykelius Johnson and Jaylen Jones at the slot position over Huggins-Bruce, who's mostly constrained by skillset to slot.
The buzz in Blacksburg is that a more finished product like Huggins-Bruce - but with a lower upside in the long run - wasn't determined to be the greatest need. Tayvion Robinson will be just a junior when the Class of 2021 arrives on-campus, giving the incoming players at his position some time to develop behind him before they'll be relied upon. A player with Jones's great upside makes sense in the class, even if he's not going to be an immediate contributor. Of course, he still has another year at the high school level to start approaching that ceiling, as well (though some of the things he'll need to work on - such as adjusting to a higher level of competition - won't be possible until he arrives at the next level).
From this observer's perspective - and keep in mind that Huggins-Bruce will remain an option down the road, the choice was largely just that he's not in the class yet when he might have otherwise been by now - the strict talent and floor/ceiling decision was probably the right one. In terms of ripple effects, it remains to be seen, but certainly there's a case for either choice.
Just a couple in-depth updates in this edition. As always, stay tuned to HokieHaven.com for the latest.
