Virginia Tech football: Junior day a rousing success for the Hokies

Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente is entering his third season in charge of the Hokies. Recruiting has improved in each of Fuente’s first two full classes. The 2018 class, which still isn’t complete, is a very good class for Tech. However, the 2019 and 2020 could be defining ones for Fuente moving forward.

In-state recruiting has been down for the Hokies in recent years. Talent, in general, was down for the class of 2018. The Hokies still signed some good prospects in Keshon Artis, James Mitchell and Armani Chatman, among others.

The class of 2019 is another strong one for the Commonwealth State. And last week, the Hokies hosted their first junior day of 2018 and it was a rousing success. It resulted in the commitment of wide receiver Elijah Bowick of Charlotte, North Carolina. Bowick, despite being ranked a three-star recruit, was high on the board for the class of 2019 and is the second commitment for next year’s class.

While Bowick was VT’s only commitment, several of the Hokies’ top targets were in attendance and left impressed.

Tayvion “Tank” Land is a former Virginia Tech commit. However, Land decommitted last year after the Tahj Capehart debacle. Running backs coach Zohn Burden has put the Hokies back in good standing with Land and now it appears Tech is back in the driver’s seat with the undersized, but super-talented cornerback. According to 247Sports, Land is the No. 6 player in the state of Virginia for 2019 and a four-star recruit.

His teammate, fellow cornerback Sheridan Jones, is the No. 3 ranked player in Virginia in 2019. Could he also be a Hokie? Tech has a long way to go with Jones but he’s tight with Land and that could favor the Hokies the longer this recruitment goes.

Cam’Ron Kelly, another cornerback in the class of 2019, is from Chesapeake and was in town last weekend, too. The visit went very well. Tech will be in a battle for Kelly. Kelly plays for Oscar Smith High, which has been very good to Virginia Tech over the years. Artis is a high school teammate of Kelly’s.

Another player Tech is trending for is wide receiver Tayvion Robinson of Frank Cox High School in Virginia Beach. Robinson is an ideal fit for Fuente’s offense and is high on the board for the Hokies in 2019. He apparently feels the same way about Virginia Tech. The Hokies are sitting well with Robinson.

Offensive line recruiting has been criticized over the years. And rightfully so. However, offensive line coach Vance Vice appears to be gaining momentum on the recruiting trail after the signing of 2018 offensive tackle Walker Culver. Things are looking for 2019, too.

Bryan Hudson of Georgetown, Kentucky, was at junior day and has the Hokies atop his list. He’d be a huge get for Vice and Tech. Riley Simonds, a 6’4”, 290-pound guard from Buford, Georgia, is also high on the Hokies. Both would be massive additions to the class of 2019.

Recruiting has certainly picked up for the Hokies under Fuente. Tech is doing a lot of the things the elite programs are doing and it’s starting to pay off. Now, Virginia Tech just has to win more games to change the national perception that Clemson, Miami and Florida State are the only top-tier programs in the ACC.