Virginia Tech football recruiting: Brent Pry lands first big fish in Benji Gosnell

New Virginia Tech football coach Brent Pry aced his first recruiting test Saturday. Four-star tight end/linebacker Benji Gosnell ended his recruitment, picking the Hokies, and plans on signing with Virginia Tech on Dec. 15.

Gosnell is a 6-foot-5, 240-pound athlete from Carroll County High School in Hillsville, Virginia. Gosnell is originally from Pilot Mountain, North Carolina, and his family moved to Carroll County before his senior season. He was injured in 2021 and missed most of the season with a knee injury. He plans on enrolling in January.

Gosnell spoke about his decision with Evan Watkins of 247Sports.

“I fell in love with Blacksburg back in September when I first visited,” Gosnell said. “It might be cliché, but everything about that place feels like home. Virginia Tech is a culture of its own, and I feel like it fits me as a player and especially as a person.”

Gosnell picked the Hokies over his other finalist, North Carolina. Gosnell was once committed to Ohio State but backed off that pledge earlier this year.

This is a big win for the Hokies on so many fronts. It shows Pry can seal the deal on a quality talent. Gosnell has big-time potential at multiple positions, although his future in Blacksburg should start at tight end. Anytime you reel in a former Ohio State commit and defeat UNC for that player, it’s a big deal. It’s especially impressive, considering Gosnell’s brother, Stephen, is a wide receiver on North Carolina’s roster.

The hope for Hokie fans is this is the first sign that Pry and his new, mostly unannounced staff will begin taking back some of the state’s top players. UNC and Penn State have had too easy of a time plucking some of Virginia’s top players over the years. It’s interesting that despite UNC’s talent raid of Virginia, the Hokies still own them on the gridiron.

Next up for the Hokies is keeping this class together, which, so far, hasn’t fallen apart since Justin Fuente’s dismissal.

Welcome to Virginia Tech, Benji.