There isn’t much change from 1-20 from the original Preseason Top 40 posted in June, but there has been some shuffling from 20 through 40. With the final piece of evaluation – the 2010 season – yet to come, check out which prospects are included in this final version of the TechSideline.com’s Preseason Top 40.
Of the Top 40, 28 players have given verbal commitments. Only three of the top 10 prospects have committed, however, so certainly some big decisions are yet to come.
UVa leads all schools with 11 commitments from the Top 40. Virginia Tech comes in second right now with six. UNC has three recruits. Duke and West Virginia have two apiece while Clemson, Connecticut, Liberty and Marshall each have one commitment.
Preseason Top 40, Final Version
1. Curtis Grant – LB, 6-3, 220 pounds, Hermitage (Richmond)
Uncommitted
2. Dominique Terrell – WR/CB, 5-10, 170 pounds, Osbourn (Manassas)
Uncommitted
3. Demetrious Nicholson – CB, 5-9, 165 pounds, Bayside (Virginia Beach)
Uncommitted
4. Landon Turner – OL, 6-6, 300 pounds, Harrisonburg
Committed to UNC
5. Corey Marshall – DL, 6-1, 250 pounds, Dinwiddie
Committed to Virginia Tech
6. Travis Hughes – LB/RB, 6-1, 225 pounds, Kempsville (Virginia Beach)
Uncommitted
7. Clifton Richardson – RB, 6-1, 195 pounds, Menchville (Newport News)
Committed to UVa (soft verbal)
8. Quinta Funderburk – WR, 6-2, 200 pounds, Oscar Smith (Chesapeake)
Uncommitted
9. Lafonte Thourogood – QB, 6-2, 210 pounds, Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach)
Uncommitted
10. Jay Whitmire – OL, 6-7, 290 pounds, T.C. Williams (Alexandria)
Uncommitted
11. Ronny Vandyke – S/LB, 6-3, 200 pounds, South County (Lorton)
Committed to Virginia Tech
12. Daquan Romero – LB/DE, 6-1, 220 pounds, Phoebus (Hampton)
Committed to UNC
13. Anthony Harris – DB/WR, 6-3, 190 pounds, L.C. Bird (Chesterfield)
Committed to UVa
14. Caleb Taylor – LB, 6-0, 230 pounds, Phoebus (Hampton)
Committed to UVa
15. Rob Burns – DE/TE, 6-7, 230 pounds, Stone Bridge (Ashburn)
Committed to UVa
16. Michael Cole – LB/S, 6-2, 200 pounds, Cave Spring (Roanoke)
Committed to Virginia Tech
17. Tim Scott – CB/WR, 5-11, 175 pounds, Colonial Forge (Stafford)
Committed to UNC
18. David Watford – QB, 6-1, 185 pounds, Hampton
Committed to UVa
19. Jake Goins – OL, 6-5, 280 pounds, Manchester (Midlothian)
Committed to Virginia Tech
20. David Dean – DT, 6-2, 285 pounds, Green Run (Virginia Beach)
Committed to UVa
21. Michael Holmes – RB, 6-1, 190 pounds, Harrisonburg
Uncommitted
22. Kameron Mack – S/ATH, 6-5, 200 pounds, I.C. Norcom (Portsmouth)
Committed to UVa
23. Eric Frohnapfel – TE, 6-6, 220 pounds, Colonial Forge (Stafford)
Committed to West Virginia
24. Diamonte Bailey – DE, 6-3, 220 pounds, Hermitage (Richmond)
Committed to UVa
25. Thompson Brown – DE/TE, 6-4, 240 pounds, St. Christopher’s (Richmond)
Committed to UVa
26. Ross Burbank – OL, 6-5, 285 pounds, Cox (Virginia Beach)
Committed to UVa
27. DeAndre Reaves – RB, 5-10, 180 pounds, Dominion (Sterling)
Committed to West Virginia
28. Sam Marshall – OL/DE, 6-8, 265 pounds, Chancellor (Fredericksburg)
Committed to Duke
29. Dewayne Alford – DE, 6-3, 220 pounds, Nansemond River (Suffolk)
Committed to Virginia Tech
30. Grant Jones – OL, 6-4, 280 pounds, Liberty Christian Academy (Lynchburg)
Committed to Liberty
31. Isaiah Battle – OL, 6-7, 265 pounds, Blue Ridge
Committed to Clemson
32. Jared Velasquez – DB, 6-1, 185 pounds, Robinson (Fairfax)
Uncommitted
33. Michael Nebrich – QB/ATH, 6-1, 190 pounds, Lake Braddock (Burke)
Committed to Connecticut
34. Chris Hall – QB/ATH, 6-4, 225 pounds, Dinwiddie
Committed to Virginia Tech
35. Raysean Richardson – LB/S, 6-0, 200 pounds, Oscar Smith (Chesapeake)
Uncommitted
36. Timmy Keith – WR, 6-0, 200 pounds, Osbourn (Manassas)
Uncommitted
37 Reggie Owens – DB, 6-0, 180 pounds, Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach)
Committed to Duke
38 Darius Lee – LB/S, 6-1, 205 pounds, St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes (Alexandria)
Committed to UVa
39. Blake Frohnapfel – QB, 6-5, 200 pounds, Colonial Forge (Stafford)
Committed to Marshall
40. Marcus Harris – RB, 6-0, 175 pounds, Stone Bridge (Ashburn)
Uncommitted
Ones to watch
Neil Anthony-Hale – DB/LB, Maury
Breon Bailey – QB/ATH, Norfolk Christian
Mylon Blueford – CB, Oscar Smith
Kevin Buchanon – LB/DE, Maury
Damien Caison – TE, Warren County
Donte Capers – CB, Booker T. Washington
Cortez Carter – FB/LB, Liberty (Bealeton) Committed to Marshall
Damien Carter – LB, Amherst
Dan Chrost – TE/DE, Stone Bridge
Jason Creeden – OL/DL, Woodberry Forest
Austin Copeland – LB, Gar-Field
Josh Doggett – LB, Atlee
Trey Gardner – WR, Dinwiddie
Jaston George – DB, Oscar Smith Committed to Syracuse
Kevin Green – ATH, Petersburg Committed to Virginia
Iric Harris – CB, Hylton
J.T. Hornyak – DB, Woodberry Forest
Irabor Imobisa – OL/DL, Meadowbrook
Demetrik Jackson – RB, Thomas Dale
Anthony Johnson – WR, Mountain View
Keith Johnson – WR, Petersburg
Demitri Knowles – WR, Liberty Christian Academy
Chaz Lowery – OL, Ocean Lakes
Josh Mann – OL, Ocean Lakes
Jamil McGinnis – WR/DB, L.C. Bird
Connor Mewbourne – OL/DL, First Colonial
Michael Mey – ATH, J.R. Tucker
Alex Mosley – DL, Highland Springs
Christian Norton – LB, Deep Run
Tre Preston – LB/DE, Franklin County
Brendan Riddick – ATH, Hermitage
George Riddick – OL/DL, King’s Fork
Brian Rody – QB, Stone Bridge
Brandon Rogers – CB, Hermitage
Spenser Rositano – S, Stone Bridge
Max Sarmento – LB, Deep Run
Drayton Shanks – WR, Eastern View
Dallas Simmons – RB, Deep Run
Mason Thomas – DB, Kempsville
Joshua Trimble – DB, Bishop O’Connell
Josh Woodrum – QB, Cave Spring Committed to Liberty
Raheem Walker – DB, Maury
Derrion Walton – RB, Lake Taylor
Sedale Young – OL, William Fleming
Matt Zanelatto – WR, Lake Braddock
Revisiting UVa and VT offers
Here are the prospects that have been offered by both schools. How are the in-state rivals faring?
QB Lafonte Thourogood – Remains uncommitted. I like Virginia Tech’s chances in the end.
QB David Watford – Committed to UVa
RB Michael Holmes – Uncommitted. Things have been quiet on this front.
OL Jake Goins – Committed to Virginia Tech
OL Landon Turner – Committed to UNC
DL Corey Marshall – Committed to Virginia Tech
LB/S Michael Cole – Committed to Virginia Tech
LB Curtis Grant – Uncommitted. Alabama and Florida headline the out-of-state schools in heavy contention, while Virginia and Virginia Tech are definitely in this race as well in my opinion.
LB/RB Travis Hughes – Uncommitted. Travis has a top 5 of UNC, CLEM, MD, VT and LSU, in that order. He will take official visits to all five before committing. Virginia has not been eliminated but is on the outside looking in at this point.
CB Demetrious Nicholson – Uncommitted. UNC continues to lead, but Clemson, Stanford, Virginia, Virginia Tech and others are being considered. I see Clemson and Virginia Tech as UNC’s biggest threats right now.
S Kameron Mack – Committed to UVa
RB/ATH Clifton Richardson – Committed to UVa. Richardson is only a “soft” commit to UVa, although I really think Virginia will be the school he signs with. He is not seriously considering Virginia Tech right now even though he remains open to other schools.
ATH Dominique Terrell – Uncommitted. Terrell has narrowed his list to LSU, Miami, Texas Tech, Virginia and Virginia Tech
ATH Ronny Vandyke – Committed to Virginia Tech
VT’s in-state haul
In what has been a quiet year due to the lack of scholarships, six of Virginia Tech’s 11 commitments reside in the Commonwealth. Tech has secured four from the top 20, headlined by Dinwiddie defensive end Corey Marshall at #5. South County safety/linebacker Ronny Vandyke could easily enter the top 10 in my Postseason Top 40 if he can show he is back from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for all of 2009.
Top targets remain on the board
Curtis Grant has kept quiet in terms of naming favorites. I still feel that he could end up staying in the state and I see Virginia Tech being right in the thick of this race until the end.
Virginia Tech continues to be in high standing with cornerback/wide receiver Dominique Terrell and cornerback Demetrious Nicholson. The latter has favored UNC throughout, but the NCAA cloud hovering above Chapel Hill could impact this race. Terrell reportedly plans to take official visits before committing, but Tech and West Virginia were the favorites as of earlier this summer.
Virginia Tech will host linebacker Travis Hughes on an official visit in September, but for now Tech sits behind three schools – North Carolina, Clemson and Maryland – for his signature. Of course, if the NCAA comes down hard on UNC and Maryland has a disappointing season, then anything can happen here.
Quarterback/athlete Lafonte Thourogood is taking some time out from the recruiting process. Ultimately, I continue to feel Virginia Tech will be tough to beat.
Tech Sideline is Presented By: