The final weekend before the class of 2015’s National Signing Day is here. Virginia Tech is finished with most of the class, but there are still some storylines left to follow in the days before February 4.
Recruiting Calendar
A Contact Period is in effect until February 1, which is a Quiet Period. A Dead Period takes place from February 2-5. During the Contact Period, coaches can make in-home visits with prospects. Prospects can make official visits to schools during the Contact and Quiet periods, but they cannot visit schools or meet with coaches during a Dead Period. Phone calls, however, are allowed during a Dead Period.
National Signing Day is Wednesday, February 4.
Virginia Tech’s Class of 2015
Seven recruits – Adonis Alexander (S), Xavier Burke (TE), Austin Clark (OL), Carson Lydon (LB), Yosuah Nijman (DE), Mook Reynolds (CB) and Tyrell Smith (OL) – enrolled this month. As was the case last week, Virginia Tech has 16 verbal commitments who are expected to sign on February 4.
Tech’s class is ranked no. 20 nationally and no. 3 in the ACC by Rivals, no. 23 in the nation and no. 5 in the ACC according to ESPN, no. 24 in the nation and no. 4 in the ACC by 247Sports, and no. 35 in the nation by Scout. All except Scout count Virginia Tech as having 23 recruits. Scout does not include Xavier Burke and Tyrell Smith, who signed with the Hokies in 2014 but needed a postgraduate semester before enrolling.
Storylines To Follow This Weekend Through National Signing Day
– Wake Forest-Rolesville High School’s (N.C.) speedy running back Bryce Love announces his college choice today at 3 pm EST. Virginia Tech is one of the finalists along with East Carolina, North Carolina and Stanford, though most expect Love to stay in-state or go with the Cardinal.
UPDATE: Love announced for Stanford
– Nash Central (Rocky Mount, N.C.) senior defensive end Houshun Gaines will not take an official visit to UVa this weekend. After taking officials to Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech the previous two weekends, Gaines, who committed to the Hokies in December, appears set to sign with Virginia Tech next Wednesday.
– Haven’t heard much on Victor Alexander recently, but come Signing Day it will be interesting to see if the Trinity Christian (Jacksonville, FL) middle linebacker sticks with his UCLA commitment. Alexander has been committed to the Bruins for a long time but Virginia Tech has been in the mix throughout.
– The news broke earlier this week that LSU offered Virginia Tech commit Mike Arnold, an offensive lineman out of Winter Haven (FL). The Tigers are trying to get Arnold to make an official visit to Baton Rouge this weekend. Whether or not he makes that trip is obviously important. He has seemed very solid to the Hokies since he committed, but anytime a commit visits another school there is some reason to be concerned. If this tweet from last night is any indication then I think Virginia Tech remains in good shape with the 6’5″, 285-pound prospect.
Tell it all pic.twitter.com/O4q6WQnsJ9
— _dope'since90's (@mikeselfmade26) January 30, 2015
– Salem (VA) offensive lineman Zachariah Hoyt has had a good month, reeling in offers from Pitt and BYU along with a grayshirt offer from Virginia Tech. The 6’5″, 275-pound senior visited Pitt last weekend and reportedly went to Tech this week. He will be at BYU this weekend. I spoke with Hoyt’s Salem classmate and Virginia Tech RB/WR commit Coleman Fox, who believes the Hokies have a good chance.
“I think he really likes Virginia Tech. He has been talking a lot about it to me,” Fox said. “I think he is really considering it.”
Describing his teammate, Fox said: “He is in the weight room more than anybody I know. He is committed to doing anything he can off the field to help him on it. On the field, he has that killer mindset. He plays as hard as he can. He never gives up.”
Hoyt’s official to Pitt went well according to Harry Psaros of our sister site, DreamBackfield.com, which covers the Panthers. A decision from the standout lineman may come soon after the BYU trip, so stay tuned.
– Staying on the offensive line, Virginia Tech continues to recruit Royal Palm Beach (FL) offensive tackle Fredrick Johnson.
#VirginiaTech was at Royal Palm Beach yesterday to see Fredrick Johnson. #Hokies
— Wells Dusenbury (@DuseReport1063) January 30, 2015
The one-time Tech commit took an official to Miami earlier this month and will take an official to Florida this weekend. It could be tough to get the 6’8″, 300-pound prospect out of the Sunshine State, but the Hokies are trying.
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