Cornerback Eddie Whitley out of Butler High School in Matthews, North Carolina surprised many followers of Virginia Tech and NC State football recruiting by picking the Hokies today over the home state Wolfpack. In his comments on his commitment, Whitley hit upon a theme common to many Virginia Tech recruits: the people at Virginia Tech and the family atmosphere on campus.

Whitley (6-1, 185, 4.4 forty) struggled to choose between the Hokies and the Wolfpack, and he respects and admires both programs, but eventually, one thing won him over to the Hokies.

“The feel of the campus, the atmosphere,” Whitley said, trying to find the right words to express himself. “The [April 16th] tragedy made a difference, but it really didn’t change the atmosphere. People weren’t walking around scared They’re back to normal, and I like that. That’s a good thing about it. I wasn’t going to make my decision off that. It’s a football school, and I like everything about it. It has a lot to offer me.”

In a previous interview with TSL recruiting analyst Chris Horne, Whitley had expressed his liking for the atmosphere at NC State as well, to the point where Hokie fans were very, very worried that he would choose the Wolfpack, so I pressed Whitley to clarify what he meant by “atmosphere.”

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