Virginia Tech football: Hokies pick up 2022 quarterback

The Virginia Tech Hokies picked up their first commitment from the class of 2022 on Thursday when quarterback Devin Farrell chose the Hokies.

Farrell is a 6-foot-0, 192-pound dual-threat quarterback from Milton High School in Alpharetta, Georgia, and received his offer from Virginia Tech on Feb. 4.

At first glance, you may see Farrell’s size and assume he’s going to be a defensive back or wide receiver at the next level. However, from all indications, the Hokies offered Farrell to play quarterback.

Milton High School competes against some of the top programs in the talent-rich state of Georgia. And Farrell is the quarterback who makes it go. Farrell is also an accomplished guard on the basketball team.

So, what are the Hokies getting in Farrell?

From watching some of his highlights, Farrell is extremely fast. He has twitchy athleticism and a strong arm. It’s hard to determine a player’s accuracy just based on highlight reels. But it does appear Farrell can make all the requisite throws at the next level. His athleticism will be an asset for Virginia Tech’s offense due to his ability to extend plays.

Farrell obviously will need to add size once he gets to the next level. He still has one season of high school football left.

We’ve discussed over and over how evaluating the 2021 class was difficult due to the pandemic, a lack of camps. and visits. The 2022 class could be even more difficult, at least initially. It is one reason why some players are holding off on committing as they wait and see what happens in the spring and summer.

It’s hard to trust evaluations at this point because a lot of these players haven’t been to one camp. You are seeing some talented kids fly under the radar, while some are probably being overrated. Once visits begin happening again, you will likely see teams making more offers or pulling offers.

Farrell is a good bet for the Hokies. Ignore the size. He is taller than Dematrius Davis, the one-time Virginia Tech commit who ended up at Auburn, but not as thick or sturdy. He can get there in the weight room. One encouraging sign is how well he plays against some of the top teams in Georgia. He is a winner.

Overall, Farrell is a nice prospect and it was smart for the Hokies to get in on him earlier in the process instead of waiting this one out.