Virginia Tech football: Hokies lose commitment from 4-star DB Cam’Ron Kelly

Recruiting can be a roller-coaster and after a stellar June that saw Virginia Tech rack up several commitments, the Hokies lost one on Saturday night as four-star DB Cam’Ron Kelly backed out of his pledge to Virginia Tech.

This one shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. When Kelly listed his top eight in the spring, the Hokies weren’t even on the list. Kelly had his sights set on Penn State and Clemson the most it appeared, but both schools had higher-ranked prospects in mind and weren’t ready for his commitment. So, out of the blue, he picked the Hokies.

This is a tough blow for Zohn Burden as he really worked hard on this recruitment. Kelly, a 6’1”, 190-pound defensive back from Oscar Smith High in Chesapeake, was more of a perception recruit than elite talent for the Hokies. Yes, Kelly is talented, but the Hokies have, arguably, more talented players already committed to the class of 2019. It was the fact Kelly was from the ‘757’ and one of the higher-ranked players in the state that made the most headlines.

Since committing to Tech in June, Kelly had been recruiting others to join him in Blacksburg on Twitter. In that aspect, this is a tough blow. Now, the Hokies and head coach Justin Fuente must decide if this is a kid they want to spend their time and resources recruiting over the next several months. If he thinks he’s bigger than Virginia Tech—he’s not—then leave his scholarship offer on the table, but move on to other players and fill up the boat with kids who want to be a Hokie.

Kelly seems like a good kid who rushed into a decision. Now, he should step back from the recruiting process and take his time and make sure he chooses the best place for him.