Virginia Tech football: 68 days til kickoff with a profile of Jaymes Brooks

Today is June 24, 2019, which means we are officially just 68 days away until the Virginia Tech Hokies open the college football season at Boston College. Yesterday, we profiled former All-American offensive tackle, Eugene Chung. Today, we stay on the offensive line with a look back at No. 68, Jaymes Brooks.

Brooks arrived at Virginia Tech in 2006 out of Denbigh High School in Newport News. Current Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is probably the most famous alumnus from Denbigh. Brooks was listed as a three-star recruit by the 247Sports Composite Rankings and redshirted his first season.

After playing on and off through the next two seasons, Brooks became a permanent fixture along Tech’s offensive as a redshirt sophomore in 2009. He would start every game in both his junior and senior seasons, culminating in All-ACC selections in each of those campaigns at guard. Brooks and Blake DeChristopher were mainstays along VT’s offensive line during those years, which were very good years for the Hokies.

During Brooks’ five seasons on campus, the Hokies won a total of 53 games, including 42 wins during his four playing seasons. He would block for some terrific tailbacks like Ryan Williams, Darren Evans and David Wilson. The Hokies would win the ACC three different times during Brooks’ tenure and make three appearances in the Orange Bowl and one appearance in the Sugar Bowl and another In the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

After the departure of Brooks and some of his teammates, the Hokies have struggled along the offensive line. Brooks was a terrific blocker for the Hokies and quietly had an outstanding career in Blacksburg.

Since his time with the Hokies, Brooks has gone on to have a successful post-football career and also joined the coaching ranks. He spent time as an offensive line coach for the Apprentice School in Newport News.