Mekhi Becton: Interview and Recruit Report

On Monday evening, Gobbler Country sat down with Mekhi Becton of Highland Springs. Becton is an offensive tackle, rated as a consensus 3-star by Scout, Rivals, and 247 (ESPN's site was having issues at the time of writing this article). He was kind enough to let us in on his recruitment thusly:

GC: Alright, Mekhi, thanks for agreeing to the interview with us. Can you tell me who your primary recruiting coaches are at Virginia Tech?

MB: I talk to Coach Scott and Coach Vice.

GC: What're your impressions of both coaches?

MB: They are great coaches with a sense of humor and they like to get after it everyday

GC: Are they constantly in your ear? How often do you hear from them?

MB: I hear probably about every other two days.

GC: Which of the two is in your ear more, or is it pretty even?

MB: It's pretty even.

GC: Was the previous coaching administration recruiting you at all, or is this new attention from Coach Fuente's group?

MB: The previous coaching staff was recruiting me since my freshman year.

GC: That'd be Coach Searels, correct?

MB: Yes.

GC: So who else is in your ear on the regular, IE, which other colleges are really after your commitment?

MB: The other colleges that are after me are LSU, UVA, MSU (Michigan State), UNC, Wake Forest, and Pittsburgh.

GC: What position are you mostly being recruited for? Tackle or Guard? Or does it depend on the college?

MB: Tackle

GC: Do you prefer the left or the right side? Or have colleges been specific about that at all?

MB: It doesn't matter the side, I can play.

GC: Just as a former offensive lineman, what do you like most about playing the position?

MB: I like that I can beat people up for fun and knowing the snap count when they don't.

GC: So, Mekhi, what exactly are you looking for in a college or college team?

MB: I'm looking for good academics, a chance to play, and a diverse campus.

GC: What in particular do you want to study in college, then?

MB: Sports medicine.

GC: Since the NFL draft just passed, do you have a professional team you root for or a pro player you model your game after?

MB: Yes, I like the Redskins and I model after Morgan Moses.

GC: Do you have any friends or anyone you know on the Hokies?

MB: Yes, one of my closest friends is committed there (Rayshard Ashby)

GC: When is the last time you visited Blacksburg, and what in particular do you like about the Hokies, Virginia Tech, and Blacksburg?

MB: I visited probably like 2 or 3 weeks ago. I like the coaching staff and the campus.

GC: What do you think of the recruiting process, and how is your family taking it? And how do you plan on improving your game your senior year?

MB: The recruiting process is great! My parents are loving that I am blessed to go to college for free. I plan on having quicker feet and more flexibility

Again, we'd like to thank Mekhi for his time. Now, on to the tape review:

Mekhi Becton (Highland Springs, VA. ~300lbs, 6'-6". Offensive Tackle.)

Right now, Becton plays right tackle, and you can see why. Typically, the right tackle is the run blocking tackle, and he's easily larger and pushes people aside fairly easily. I didn't see much of a hole in his pass blocking game, either. When he does get locked on it's hard to get rid of him, but he'll have to watch that in the college level because that could get labeled holding. He's definitely athletic and can get after linebackers and other people on the second level, but his technique needs some work. As he said that he wanted to work on his feet and flexibility, he also should work on firing out of his stance- it's somewhat inconsistent. Most of the time you're looking to drive/punch forward, but that obviously becomes different when you're talking pass blocking. Because he's so dominatingly huge, you don't get to see as much of his kick-step and his handwork as you'd like. That's no fault of his own, he's using what he's got and BOY it works. Raw strength and size can only get you so far, and while Highland Spring was, yes, a champion at the 5A level (that's the second highest level in Virginia), there are going to be more consistently (and competitively) sized players at the major college level. Oh, and props to him for being the first player I've seen to showcase some backside cut-blocking. It's usually done by the backside tackle to cover for the guard pulling away toward the run. Either way, the second level blocking and the sheer size and strength make him a very enticing offer. Hopefully we see him in Orange and Maroon someday.