1) What is the recruiting impact of Bryson Jennings committing to UNC? – AlaHokie83

Chris Coleman: I think that sort of depends on where they slot Rashaud Pernell.  If he’s slotted as a defensive end, then with him and Kyree Moyston as part of the class, then the staff could choose to stand pat and sign two ends in this class after signing two last year (Matheus Carroll and Cole Nelson) and Wilfried Pene from the 2020 class potentially being moved to end.

I’m guessing it’s probably too late to add a quality defensive end from the portal for the 2021 season, but that possibility always exists for 2022.  That could depend on some of the other defensive ends currently in the program.  Thanks to COVID, guys like TyJuan Garbutt, Jaylen Griffin and Amare Barno will be eligible to play football for the Hokies in 2022.  If all three of those guys return, there’s probably no need to take a portal guy for 2022.  Instead, the wise move would be to use the scholarship at a more pressing position of need.  However, if one or more of those guys decides not to return for 2022, that increases the possibility of taking someone from the portal who is eligible immediately.

Can Pernell play defensive end?  Apparently he’s stayed in the 250-255 range over the last year.  He hasn’t added any COVID weight.   Perhaps that’s a sign that he’s not going to add as much weight naturally as some others.  That has worried me with regards to his ability to play defensive tackle in college, but it would bode well for his ability to stay at defensive end.

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