Recruiting Notes: Alford A Promising Pickup

Dewayne Alford attended Portsmouth Christian (Portsmouth, VA) for the first two years of high school before transferring to Nansemond River (Portsmouth, VA) before the start of his junior year. Part of the reason for the transfer was to further his development on the gridiron and the 6-2 1/2, 220-pound defensive end, now a Virginia Tech commitment, accomplished his goal.

Transferring “was different,” said Alford. “I had to wake up a little earlier for school, for one (laughs). The level of play was higher, so I had to get adjusted to that. I think I got adjusted after the two preseason scrimmages. My new coaches taught me to go faster and harder and to go even harder when I would get tired. My freshman and sophomore seasons, I was not taught that. The coaches at Nansemond River have taught me that I have to go harder and go more than anyone else.”

Alford would finish the 2009 season with 61 tackles including six sacks. Virginia Tech had known about him before last season – “They were the first ones to come up to my previous school,” Alford said – but the solid performance sparked more interest from the Tech staff and other coaches as well.

This summer, Alford attended a handful of camps including James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion, Virginia and Virginia Tech. He earned official offers from JMU and ODU and, a few days after Tech’s July 10 camp, earned a grey-shirt offer from head coach Frank Beamer.

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