I think they appreciate that were trying to do this with guys from our footprint, and specifically with guys from the state of Virginia. Coney was a late flip who looks the part. Will these recent good fortunes pay off down the line? For our in-house analysis of each signee for Virginia Tech, check out our videos on YouTube. Lewis plays running back at Salem High School in Salem, Virginia. ", Chamarri Conner Interview on Coverage, Favorite Position, Why he plays Football, Chammari Conner says he met with the Dallas Cowboys, Tuesday, February 28 - Registration, Pre-Exam, Orientation, Team Interviews, Wednesday, March 1 - General Medical Exam, Pre-ordered Studies, Team Interviews, Thursday, March 2 - Orthopedic Examination, Media Interviews, NFLPA Meeting, Team Interviews, Friday, March 3 - Measurements, On-field workout, Saturday, March 4 - Bench Press, Broadcast Interviews, Depart Indianapolis. - 12/6, Pheldarius Payne - Defensive End (per Andy Bitter), Mario Kendricks - Defensive Tackle (per Andy Bitter), Jalen Holston Running Back (No NCAA eligibility remaining), Jaylen Griffin - Defensive End (No NCAA eligibility remaining), Silas Dzansi - Offensive Line (No NCAA eligibility remaining), Ali Jennings - Wide Receiver - Old Dominion, Griffin Armstrong - Long Snapper - Louisiana Tech* Walk-on, Quan Felton - Wide Receiver - Norfolk State, Jaylin Lane - Wide Receiver - Middle Tennessee State, Derrick Canteen - Cornerback - Georgia Southern, Bhayshul Tuten - Running Back - North Carolina A&T. Boston College. This is a guy whos going to bring a different demeanor from what we have, Mines said. Johnson had other options before committing to Virginia Tech but chose the Hokies. Conner has played in 61 games, starting every game over the last four seasons. - / 1. While theres always positional flexibility to consider with many of these athlete types coming in, particularly with the Hokies need for offensive playmakers, its not far-fetched to see a DB class that includes Cotman, Cameren Fleming, Braylon Johnson, Thomas Williams and Dante Lovett. 220, OLB / The four highest-rated recruits for Tech are from outside of the state, with Mr. Football in West Virginia, offensive lineman Layth Ghannam, leading the way. Welcome to Virginia Tech Football Recruiting Signing Day Central for the Class of 2022. I think he is confident. Lord Botetourt Contingent Makes The Trip But at the same time, we have to be better in that area.. Find the latest updates on Virginia Tech's roster below. While On3 rates him as the No. We just know more about these guys. Ali Jennings, from Highland Springs High School, spent two years at West Virginia and the previous two years at Old Dominion. 61 receiver, coming off a season in which he had 85 catches for 1,268 yards and 14 TDs for Nolensville (Tenn.) High. 12/19/2022. 32 among NCAA FBS programs (per Rivals ). Virginia Techs Elizabeth Kitley pulls down her second ACC player of the year award, Georgia Amoore and Taylor Soule get team honors, and Tech gets ready for Selection Sunday. 4 player in the state. The Hokies didnt venture west into Tennessee often in the latter Beamer years and signed just five players from the state during Justin Fuentes six seasons, most notably linebacker Jaden Keller in 2021. And those guys are going to know each other from tournaments and playing one another and growing up in Pee Wee ball and different things. He'll visit Blacksburg for Junior Day next weekend. Brent Pry and the Hokies signed 25 prospects to their 2023 class on Wednesday. Since the end of the season, seven of the eight commitments the Hokies have gotten either from the transfer portal or the high school ranks have been on offense, which makes sense, given Techs struggles on that side of the ball last season. Hes got all the attributes we were wanting. From analyzing Techs 2023 class, you see a heavy emphasis on Virginia and the Hokies making some noise in regional states, such as Tennessee, Maryland, West Virginia and South Carolina. Their parents, especially, have an appreciation for where Virginia Techs been, and they understand what this program can be.. 6-5 / It used to be a team would get past the New Year and have a pretty. That thing will probably double over the next several days with it officially opening on Monday (December 5). S. TyLyric Coleman Dan River (Ringgold, VA) 6-3 / 175. Length offers the quarterback a little bit easier target. 6-1 / Gabriel Williams Remains Highly-Coveted By Virginia Tech, The Virginia Tech 2023 Class In The Half-Star System, Alex Taylor Includes Virginia Tech In Top 7, Amir Jackson Picks Up Virginia Tech Offer, Virginia Tech Adds JUCO DE James Jennette, Virginia Tech Football Junior Days, Part 2, Virginia Tech Football Junior Days, Part 1, Chanz Wiggins Takes In Virginia Tech Again, Bodie Kahoun Picks Up Virginia Tech Offer, Ari Watford Preparing For Visit To Virginia Tech. We recruit defensive backs. Area Code 540. READ MORE, 2024 in-state target Chanz Wiggins was in Blacksburg on Monday night, and he's become very familiar with Virginia Tech. He was a hybrid linebacker-defensive back in both 2019 and 2020, registering a bulk of his time at the coined 'Whip' position. Teams; CBS Sports; CBS SPORTS HQ; SportsLine; MaxPreps; Shop; . On Saturday, Conner will complete the drill portion of the NFL Combine with the Bench Press before departing Indianapolis. An offensive lineman: The Hokies have 16 in the room right now, but only one is a senior (Jesse Hanson) and only three more have junior designations (Kaden Moore, Parker Clements and Bob Schick). 1 ranked player in Ontario, per 247. 220, OT / Virginia Tech Football Recruiting Virginia Tech football: Hokies land 4-star JUCO pass-rusher James Jennette Jennette is a promising edge rusher. The Hokies signed pairs of players from two state powerhouse high schools: Highland Springs (safety Braylon Johnson and receiver Takye Heath) and Appomattox (receiver Jonathan Pennix and linebacker Tavorian Copeland). 185, RB / He had 729 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, 840 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns and 17 catches for 338 yards and three touchdowns, showing plenty of athletic chops for someone his size. 295, TE / Both Greene (1,127 yards, 19 TDs) and Fitzgerald (1,348 yards, 18 TDs) had monster senior seasons and could have the size to factor in right away. READ MORE, 2024 tight end Amir Jackson picked up a Virginia Tech offer recently, and he's had early conversations with Tyler Bowen. READ MORE, Virginia Tech recently became the fifth program to offer Kentucky wideout receiver Montavin Quisenberry, who has yet to take a visit. Virginia Tech's 2023 National Signing Day class ranks as the sixth best in the ACC according to 247Sports Composite and Rivals. TSL) is an independent publication that is in no way affiliated with or sponsored by Virginia Tech or the Virginia Tech Athletic Department. GO HOKIES!!! -, WR / Buy Tickets Opens in new window. "We do have time to schedule meetings, involve parents or families or coaches, if we need to, on young men considering forgoing their senior year to go to the NFL, guys considering going to the transfer portal, or guys you potentially want to help them get somewhere where they've got a better chance to play and be successful. 6-3 / TechSideline.Com Later on Friday afternoon at 3 P.M., Conner will participate in the Defensive Back drills. Pry said the Hokies are still pursuing some transfers in the first week of January who could still be spring semester enrollees, with three on the docket to make official visits as of now. 310. 6-2 / In his junior highlight tape, he flashes some burst and athleticism. That quarterback rooms going to look a little different right out of the gate come January 18th, Pry said. He'll visit Blacksburg for Junior Day next weekend. If he does return, likely in a special teams capacity, he wouldnt be on scholarship, though hes marketable enough that Tech could pursue NIL opportunities for him. 240. My background is man coverage, man-press coverage, aggressive., cornerbacks coach Derek Jones said. READ MORE No. But the staff has connections that way too, with defensive coordinator Chris Marve having played and coached at Vanderbilt, sam linebackers coach Shawn Quinn playing collegiately at Carson-Newman and with a number of past coaching jobs in Tennessee and Pry himself with stints at Memphis and Vanderbilt. Receiver and ACC champion sprinter Cole Beck will run track again this spring, then see how things how shake out before a determination is made about his football career. Cornerback: Dante Lovett, Cameren Fleming, Antonio Cotman Jr. Safety: Mose Phillips, Braylon Johnson, Caleb Woodson, Athlete: Thomas Williams, Jonathan Pennix, Tralon Mitchell. I dont want somebody thats afraid of competition. Watsons size was a detriment to some, but turn on the film, and you see an electric runner with a strong arm. QB. Stevens will probably end up at defensive end, and, like Abbey, be a pretty good one. If Joe Rudolph picks them, you should like them, too. 215, QB / He finishes in the record-book as the No. Takye Heath is a player to watch. 300, S / 5-11 / 195, CB / (Photo of Brent Pry: Reinhold Matay / USA Today). 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. After veterans Hanson, Moore and Clements, the most experienced linemen on the roster are Schick (58 snaps) and a pair of freshmen, Braelin Moore (81) and Xavier Chaplin (27). Projecting the depth chart By Andy Bitter Jan 4, 2023 38 BLACKSBURG, Va. New year, new roster and an evolving one at that. Virginia. Four Virginia high school coaches share their impressions of Brent Pry, how Virginia Tech slipped recruiting the state, the importance of keeping players home, plus more. The recruiting classes for the champions of both . Commit More Stories About This guys going to make Grant better. How long has it been since the Hokies have had these kinds of feel-good vibes around signing day? Gambling problem? Tech has also gotten confirmation from defensive tackle Mario Kendricks and defensive end Pheldarius Payne, a Nebraska transfer who missed last year with an Achilles injury, that theyll return. The Hokies have veteran Nick Gallo coming back for his final season in 2023, but Wimbush is a boost to the next wave of tight ends/H-backs, someone who looks like he could be more on the playmaking side of the position, capable of doing a variety of things from different parts of the formation. Jason Abbey is a defensive end from Richmond that has coaches excited. Overall, the Hokies signed 13 players from Virginia, and three of the four transfers are from the Commonwealth. Zeke Wimbush, a versatile tight end who committed out of Stone Bridge High in Ashburn earlier this week, plans to enroll this summer but will likely not immediately be on scholarship. FB Recruiting Six players I am most excited to see during spring ball for Virginia Tech VIP Evan G. Watkins FB Recruiting Top target Keylen Adams returns to Virginia Tech VIP Evan G.. 247Sports employs a staff of more than 50 full time recruiting reporters and evaluators that rank and compile data on the nation's elite . Krystian Williams is another who could move around. They worked late to flip a couple of players who committed elsewhere and came close. Signed Letter of Intent (15) Pos Ht / Wt Rating Status Chance Fitzgerald Nolensville (Nolensville, TN) There is still work to do in Northern Virginia and the 757, but Pry and his staff are off to a terrific start. For more details about the site, including a list of TechSideline.com staff, see our About page. 1 wide receiver for the Hokies and a four-star transfer. 328, LB / Shannon Lewis. Though none is ranked better than a three-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite, all four are 652nd or higher nationally, boosting what had been a solid but not spectacular class in the final month, with the Hokies now up to 34th in the national team rankings and sixth in the ACC. March 3, 2023 9:10 am CT. Peyton Lewis, a running back prospect from the 2024 recruiting class, picked up an offer from the Alabama coaching staff on Thursday. At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, the Life Christian Academy product has good size for a defensive back and is one of the more intriguing prospects in the class, just based on the diversity of his ranking. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Caleb Woodson is another who had interest from others. 250, LB / One concern for the Hokies is they didnt do enough on the defensive line. Conner has late Day 3 value as a potential backup., He was given a prospect rating of 5.82 - which defines him as an "Average backup or Special Teamer. The Hokies 2023 class ranks No. I can see both playing in 2023. More than anything, we wanted to get guys who had good production, Mines said. . This is why were making this decision. As much as I like the cornerback class, I equally like the safeties. Try a week on us. While no one will confuse Virginia Tech's incoming class with Alabama . Montavin Quisenberry Picks Up Virginia Tech Offer, Grant Karczewski Spurns UVA Ties To Walk On At Virginia Tech, Joshua Clarke Sees VT Again, Closes In On Cuts. The Hokies added four offensive linemen. 190, DL / This is whats behind it. Spring practice updates Recruiting news NFL Draft . This site utilizes responsive web design, which renders the site properly on all platforms (PC, tablet, mobile). . Will Virginia Tech Soon Break Through In Ohio? A ranking of the 2023 Best College Football Players in West Virginia. Several schools out there went hard after a few Hokies commitments. BLACKSBURG, Va. While signing day went off without a hitch for Virginia Tech, that doesnt mean there werent some nervous moments leading up to it. Baylor is from Radford, and his combination of size and speed is exciting. So the investments real. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. The y-axis in this graph represents the percentage weight of the score that gets applied to an overall team ranking. 6-5 / READ MORE, Kyron Drones is a quarterback transfer from Baylor who got meaningful snaps in one game for the Bears. The 2019 class was punctuated by offensive lineman Doug Nesters signing day flip from Ohio State in February, though that joy was erased years later by his transfer to West Virginia. Its Post Season Accolade Time for the Virginia Tech Hokie Womens Basketball Team. Conner has late Day 3 value as a potential backup., has participated in the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl, Virginia Tech DB Chamarri Conner receives a pre-Combine draft score. 6-2 / His brother played for Pry at Penn State, and he had other options, but that relationship with Pry was good for the Hokies. (Gio Heater) On Monday, Virginia Tech's complete 2023 football schedule was releasedon the ACC Network. 205, CB / 788 37 8. They can do a lot of different things with their bodies, so having those qualities is a plus for me. But now we got a third guy in the mix. We want to take care of the state and the kids because thats how were going to get back to where it was back in the day, senior director of player personnel Mike Villagrana said. 243, IOL / All Hokie, All the Time. Hes a leader. Odds & lines subject to change. Virginia Tech football is putting a stamp on its 2023 signing class with as good of a finish as you could have asked for from head coach Brent Pry in his first real recruiting cycle. Recruits can send in their National Letter of Intent (NLI) starting at 7 a.m. We'll begin providing updates at that time, and we'll be here all day. Mose Phillips was a late addition and will be an outstanding college player. Email Address. What we sold them on is, we dont necessarily recruit just corners and safeties. Virginia Tech and Brent Pry picked up their 18th commitment in the class of 2023 on Sunday night with the pledge of three-star defensive end Ishmael Findlayter (Ontario, Canada). Ultimately, it wasnt enough. By Tim Weaver | February 27, 2023 1:37 pm ET. David Cunningham will have a story at the end of the day on Wednesday to recap Techs December signees, and Chris Coleman will have a columnas well. His size, athleticism and football IQ had him extremely undervalued. He is another player who was undervalued. This site utilizes responsive web design, which renders the site properly on all platforms (PC, tablet, mobile). 6 Virginia at North Carolina, Highlights: No. Just a lot goes into it, so its easy to get excited when they jump on there and theyre signed, sealed and delivered.. Its infectious, Pry said. Hes going to make sure those guys are doing extra. LB. He has that mentality to play this position at a high level.. Related: Virginia Tech DB Chamarri Conner receives a pre-Combine draft score. The Hokies ended up adding four transfers in the early period who should reshape competitions at their respective positions quarterback Kyron Drones out of Baylor, defensive lineman Darian Varner out of Temple and receivers Jennings and Felton from ODU and Norfolk State, respectively. Krystian Williams Collegiate School (Richmond, VA) 6-5 / Virginia Tech Head Coach Brent Pry expects roster turnover this offseason as he attempts to rebuild the Hokies roster by way of the transfer portal and the 2023 recruiting class. The recent additions put the Hokies at 91 scholarship players by my rough count if you include all of the 2023 commitments and every senior who has an available COVID-19 year. Brandon Patterson breaks down that game. The highly versatile defensive back has played nearly every position in the Hokies' backfield dating back to 2018. 10 ranked all-time Virginia Tech Hokie in career tackles. "The portal is going to be active, as we all know. On Friday, Sierra Canyon (Calif.) four-star small forward AJ . READ MORE, Within 10 minutes, 4-star linebacker Gabriel Williams had received a text message from nearly every member of Virginia Techs coaching staff. His style of play is reminiscent of former Penn . It helps the quarterback not have to be as accurate. 318, DL / Last year, the Hokies beefed up on both lines, signing 12 players who played in the trenches. The Lady Hokies shine after a break, and trounce, throttle, and outscore the Miami Hurricanes in the ACC Tournament Quarterfinals. Once commits sign their NLIs to the Hokies, they will have a green check next to their name in the table below and move to the top of the list. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Early signing day is Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. 6-2 / Felton is a bigger-bodied receiver that Techs lacked in recent years, listed at 6-foot-5, 210 pounds. Note: We are told that Ezekiel Wimbush, previously listed as a commitment, is currently preferred walk-on status. Weve got to be better at that position. 5-10 / The second and third-best prospects . Tim Sullivan HokieHaven. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. The first order of business at the combine was the measurement portion, on Friday morning, where the Virginia Tech defensive back verified his frame. All four have legit size and Ghannam could play early in his career. A true legacy who can play. We needed somebody to come in here and compete with Grant (Wells). Below is a graphical representation of how our formula works. So a guy that can supply some depth and come in and be a rotational guy, give us a chance to develop this young group.. All Hokie, All the Time. 231-4132. In addition to Drones, the Hokies signed two high school quarterbacks, bringing Dylan Wittke and Pop Watson into the fold. The Hokies currently have 19 commitments in their 2023 recruiting class, which will probably grow a little bit here. 0.8714. I love to see receivers play defense, especially in high school, show some physicality, show that theyll play on special teams. 1 player in the state in the 2024 class, according to 247Sports' in-house rankings. READ MORE, Despite being a UVA legacy, Grant Karczewski will walk-on at Virginia Tech after specific advice from his parents. It wouldnt be shocking to see both play early in their career. It was a great year for two former Hokies. Im home!!! Period. 8 Virginia Tech Wrestling Travels To Raleigh For ACC Tournament By: Jack Brizendine | March 2, 2023 In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating. The Virginia Tech Hokies wrapped up the early signing period last week feeling pretty good about the 2023 recruiting class. What Is Virginia Tech Getting In Kyron Drones? Lets get to work #NewHome pic.twitter.com/zvIhIcrD1B, Chance Fitzgerald (@itschancefitz) December 16, 2022. He committed on Sunday, three days after he decommitted from Boston College and a day after an official visit in Blacksburg. I also wouldnt be shocked if Pry looks for a defensive tackle via the transfer portal. The Portsmouth product is a former basketball player who didnt start playing football until his junior year, earning a camp offer from Norfolk State, where he caught 67 passes for 1,062 yards and nine touchdowns the past two years, with seven scores last season. 2023 Virginia Tech Football Commitment List Total Commitments 26 Dante Lovett and Cameren Fleming were two of my favorites in this class. Here are Techs offensive additions in the past two weeks: WR: Jennings (transfer), Fitzgerald (HS), Greene (HS). All three will enroll in January, adding some juice to spring ball at the position. (On3 ranks him 33rd, bringing down his average.). Football Dec 2 TBA. New Virginia Tech football offer: Deuce Walker. Though both are 6-foot-2, joining the 6-5 Felton, getting bigger wasnt necessarily a primary objective of the Hokies coaches. The 6-foot-1 wide receiver has over 20 scholarship offers and is the No. (Jerome Miron / USA Today), Twenty-nine players signed with the Hokies on Wednesday. Tech had what turned out to be faux momentum following significant coaching staff turnover as the 2020 class wound down, with high-end defensive signees that year Alec Bryant, Robert Wooten and Justin Beadles all transferring out after a season (though O-line mainstay Kaden Moore came on board in December that cycle, flipping from Bowling Green). And I tell the staff all the time: Nobody can know more about the kids in Virginia than us.. The final transfer was speedy 6-foot-4 wide receiver Quan Felton from Norfolk State. Nine scholarship players have already gone into the portal. -, IOL / Coney could also play linebacker, but it sounds like the plan is to stick in the backfield. New Nebraska coach Matt Rhule made a show of making his first offer on the job to cornerback Dante Lovett. I think hes proven. The Virginia Tech Hokies wrapped up the early signing period last week feeling pretty good about the 2023 recruiting class. Let's take a closer look at who visited. On3 Football Recruiting. 6-3 / ACC Championship. 5-10 / That means the Hokies need to have another wave of attrition at some point, be it when the new semester starts in January or later once spring ball concludes and a second transfer window opens up, just to get to the 85 max number. Another outstanding prospect from Highland Springs, Heath is electric and could figure into the mix in 2023 as a slot receiver. Pry added to a class mostly put together by his predecessor last year, with late commitments from tight end Benji Gosnell and offensive lineman Brody Meadows, who were the second and fourth highest-ranked members of the group, though that was blunted by signing day flips by running back Ramon Brown to Maryland and quarterback Alex Orji to Michigan. One-On-One With Virginia Tech Football's Brent Pry By: David Cunningham | March 2, 2023 On Wednesday, Tech Sideline's David Cunningham sat down with Brent Pry to discuss individual players, the transfer portal and other topics. The high schoolers are Watson and Wittke at quarterback, running back Jeremiah Coney, Greene and Baylor at receiver, offensive lineman Layth Ghannam, Hannes Hammer and Williams, defensive end Ishmael Findlayter and Cotman and Phillips at defensive back. We really like the way he rushes the quarterback, Pry said. He has good size for a receiver at 6-foot-3, 184 pounds. In addition to key transfers in quarterback Kyron Drones and receiver Ali Jennings III, the Hokies have gotten six high school commitments this month, with four coming from players who are among the top-six ranked recruits in Techs class receivers Chance Fitzgerald (2) and Ayden Greene (3), cornerback Antonio Cotman Jr. (5) and quarterback Pop Watson (6). The 6-foot-2, 260-pound Varner was a first-team All-AAC performer at Temple in 2022 and can slide inside on passing downs. He misses too many tackles due to risky angles and struggles coming to balance in the open field. 207, TE / Recruit images were posted here as NLIs were received see the area below the table. The Hokies like the new additions on the offensive line, wide receiver and the defensive backfield. 259, OT / 280, PRO / Virginia Tech basketball has picked up its first commitment of the 2024 recruiting cycle. S. Caleb Hardy Eagle's Landing (Mcdonough, GA) 6-3 / 182. Virginia Tech Hokies Defensive Back Chamarri Conneris participating in the 2023 NFL Combine, looking to boost his stock ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft. Drones immediately enters the battle for the starting spot, with Wittke, an early commitment from a powerhouse Georgia program in Buford, and Watson, a scintillating late addition out of Massachusetts who flipped from Nebraska earlier this month, getting into the developmental pipeline. Hes going to make us better. The Hokies signed 25 players last week and could sign a few more before national signing day in February. 6-4 / 230, LB / 5-10 / Findlayter is the No. 2022 Virginia Tech Football Commitment List Total Commitments 24 231-4132. You have ball skills, theyre usually pretty quick twitch, the short-area quickness. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. to rebuild the Hokies roster by way of the transfer portal and the 2023 recruiting class. NA 135 140. Varner is a 6-foot-2, 280-pound first-team All-AAC pick from Temple, where he had 7.5 sacks last year. Welcome to Virginia Tech Football Recruiting Signing Day Central for the Class of 2023. Some of them had other head coaches sitting on their couch in their living room, Hokies coach Brent Pry said. This years class is loading up on defensive backs. 6-1 / Editor. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. StubHub Ticket Marketplace, AAA Travel Center & Info, English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park Fan Guide, ACCN ACC Network, Video Library presented by COX, Virginia Tech Sports Network Radio Affiliates, Sport Psychology/Counseling and Athletic Mental Performance, Student-Athlete Academic Support Services, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). He has compiled 314 total tackles (207 solo), 21.0 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, 23 passes defensed, 4 forced fumbles and one block. It helps when you can go to an area and theres a young man youre interested in that youre getting to know, Pry said. They'll all decide what's best for them individually in the upcoming weeks. Virginia Tech football recruiting: Hokies land three players Sunday for 2023 class It was a big day for the Hokies, who also added a talented quarterback. The Hokies locked up his commitment late Tuesday night, springing it as a surprise on signing day. 206, WR / Jennings and Felton help remake a receiver room that added seven new players in all Wednesday, shoring up a group that lost last years leading pass-catcher Kaleb Smith to Notre Dame. quarterback Kyron Drones and receiver Ali Jennings III. All six could reasonably be considered starting candidates next season. Arena is Virginia Tech's fourth commitment for 2023, joining offensive linemen Lance Williams (Alcoa, Tennessee) and Hannes Hammer (Roanoke, Virginia via Germany and defensive end Jason. The Hokies now have six confirmed seniors who are taking advantage of their additional year of eligibility from the COVID-19 season.