The recruitment of Hargrave Military Academy star defensive end Leon Mackey has certainly been interesting, but there is no question that the Virginia Tech staff would love to have the 6-5, 260-pound prospect in Blacksburg by the beginning of next year. Mackey being enrolled at Virginia Tech now seems much more realistic, with the talented athlete saying he has done what he needed to do to gain admission to the ACC school.

“There were just certain things (classes) I needed to get,” said Mackey, a postgraduate player who signed with the Hokies in February of 2008 only to re-open his recruitment when he didn’t gain admission this past summer. “I talked to coach Stinespring. He said everything looked good now. He said they are processing all the info. Me and Virginia Tech are still standing good. In fact, I was calling them to make sure they still feel the same way about me.”

Mackey has a Virginia Tech official visit scheduled for the weekend of December 6th, after which he admits “there is a chance I could wrap [the recruiting process] up.” Should Mackey choose Virginia Tech but not gain admission for January of 2009, there is a very good chance he does not end up a Hokie.

“I know I’ll be somewhere in January,” said Mackey, who has fully qualified academically. “That is not a concern. Right now, I’m just working hard before I get to college.”

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