Virginia Tech football: Hokies land their first commitment for 2023

The Virginia Tech Hokies added their first commitment to the 2023 recruiting class Monday when three-star offensive lineman Lance Williams pledged to the Hokies.

The 6-foot-5, 306-pound Williams plays at Alcoa High School in Alcoa, Tennessee, and chose the Hokies over his other finalists, Cincinnati and Kentucky. Williams had a reported 16 offers and was the 2021 Region 2-3A Lineman of the Year in Tennessee.

Justin Fuente and the previous Virginia Tech staff offered Williams, and he had built a strong relationship with former offensive line coach Vance Vice. Williams made a to Blacksburg last month, and new head coach Brent Pry and offensive line coach Joe Rudolph confirmed his offer.

Williams had been to Blacksburg on multiple occasions before the coaching change.

Williams already possesses elite size and plays at one of the top programs in Tennessee. Rudolph is one of the best offensive line coaches in the country, and if he wanted to back out of the offer, it would’ve been easy. However, Rudolph reaffirming Virginia Tech’s offer to Williams should excited Hokie fans.

Williams spoke to Emily Adams of the Knoxville News Sentinel about his pledge to the Hokies:

“Ever since I walked out of the building the last time I was up there, I knew it was where I was going to come,” Williams said. “That was the first time I met the new coaching staff and really enjoyed it and fell in love. They were up in my top two for a long time but the new coaching staff coming in and being great people really was it.”

Pry was happy with Monday’s good news.