Gobbler Country - National Signing Day 2016: Virginia Tech EditionThe Gold Standard For Virginia Tech Athleticshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50377/gobbler-fav.png2016-02-03T13:21:19-05:00http://www.gobblercountry.com/rss/stream/106674232016-02-03T13:21:19-05:002016-02-03T13:21:19-05:00Virginia Tech National Signing Day 2016 Updated
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<figcaption>Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Here's a look at who has signed their letters of intent</p> Here is the latest on the signings at Virginia Tech. It's not over yet, but there only a couple of names still out there with possible Virginia Tech intentions. Stay tuned at gobblercountry.com for breaking news. Follow us on twitter @gobblercountry.
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https://www.gobblercountry.com/2016/2/3/10905986/virginia-tech-national-signing-day-2016-updated-hokiesRoy Hatfield2016-02-03T10:18:15-05:002016-02-03T10:18:15-05:00Virginia Tech Signing Day Live 2016: Here's How To Watch
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<figcaption>Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Program to start at 11:00 Eastern</p> <p>Virginia Tech will be putting on a 2 hour broadcast stream on National Signing Day. The program is sure to be chock full of interviews and highlights of the incoming class.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Getting ready for Signing Day Live 2016! Watch it live for 2 HOURS beginning at 11am on HokieSports & HokiesXtra App <a href="https://t.co/QOBZRHVLac">pic.twitter.com/QOBZRHVLac</a></p>
— HokieVision (@HokieVision) <a href="https://twitter.com/HokieVision/status/694899607986421760">February 3, 2016</a>
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The LOI's have been rolling in, and we look forward to hearing from the coaches and hopefully some new Hokies. At time of publish, the Hokies have 21 kids signed in the 2016 class. Hopefully Coach Fuente and team have a couple more surprises later this morning!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.hokiesports.com/">You can watch the broadcast starting at 11:00 EST by clicking here!</a></p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hear it straight from <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachFuente">@CoachFuente</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/LazeVT">@LazeVT</a> plus lots of special guests! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HokiesNSD16?src=hash">#HokiesNSD16</a> <a href="https://t.co/HQIrPlrNBz">https://t.co/HQIrPlrNBz</a></p>
— VT Football (@VT_Football) <a href="https://twitter.com/VT_Football/status/694899073892139009">February 3, 2016</a>
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The Hokies' broadcast will be anchored by John Laaser, the voice of the Hokies.
https://www.gobblercountry.com/2016/2/3/10904738/virginia-tech-national-signing-day-live-2016-heres-how-to-watchRoy Hatfield2016-02-03T09:45:03-05:002016-02-03T09:45:03-05:00Carter adds to VT linebacker Class
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<img alt="Andrew might have competition down the road in the form of LB Eron Carter" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1ACHcZ8ztdrEeVMlJH_dLMrGuBM=/0x57:1986x1381/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48716255/usa-today-8939990.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Andrew might have competition down the road in the form of LB Eron Carter | Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Linebacker Eron Carter of Palatka, Florida, committed to Virginia Tech over offers from rigorous academic schools...and you can see why on the field.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Goals ❤✊ <a href="https://t.co/CxNdjUtynN">pic.twitter.com/CxNdjUtynN</a></p>
— Eron Carter (@CarterE33) <a href="https://twitter.com/CarterE33/status/693547437957496832">January 30, 2016</a>
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<p>Eron Carter is an interesting later offer that bore fruit. His other offers are from Massachusetts, Tulane, Western Kentucky, Air Force, Army, Colgate and the like. I'll always welcome a linebacker with a head on his shoulders. Athleticism is great, but heady play sure helps. Carter adds to a position of need with his commitment. He's only rated on Rivals, and at 2 stars, but he's got the frame and the brain to be another of Tech's underrated long-playing linebacking finds.</p>
<h4>Eron Carter (Palatka, FL. 230lbs, 6'-2". Linebacker)</h4>
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<p>I can see why Carter has looks from military academies based on his play. You can tell that he's thinking ahead of the play rather than running ahead of it, but it works well for him, since he's sizable enough to use his mass well and athletic enough to make the plays he's deducing. His frame right now is perfect for an inside linebacker in Foster's scheme, assuming he puts on about 10-20 lbs. He reminds me a lot of how Jack Tyler used to play- though Tyler was built like a barn and Carter's a bit more svelte than that. He's good at beating and shedding blocks at high school level-we'll see if that translates- but it would be great if that ability translated. I love watching him stop a bit and pick through the trash to get to his man. You can tell he can see where people are going before I think THEY know where they're going to be going. I'd give a lot to have a guy with that kind of brains running the middle of defense. You know that he'll not take a bad angle or overpursue. I'd swear that he was doing calculus out there. Whatever he might lack in sheer flash, he makes up for in substance between the ears. And it's really nice when you can SEE brains at work in a player's head. I like his solid tackling ability and his sense of location.</p>
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<p>Congratulations on signing, Eron, and welcome to Virginia Tech!</p>
https://www.gobblercountry.com/2016/2/3/10902240/national-signing-day-virginia-tech-2016-eron-carterBlueLoneWolf2016-02-03T09:27:31-05:002016-02-03T09:27:31-05:00Possible Flip Wells Sticks With Gators
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<img alt="Joining Ford in the near future might be WR Rick Wells." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-dfW_SJDzU_PjIRbF7JmhD7l3To=/0x116:3116x2193/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48716851/usa-today-9017936.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Joining Ford in the near future might be WR Rick Wells. | Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Longtime Florida commit Rick Wells sticks with Gators</p> <p>There's a certain reason why slow-playing guys can backfire on you, and that's in a commitment switch. The rumor was that Raines WR Rick Wells had been a backburner, lower priority target for Florida in its class, even while he was committed. Wells flirted with the Hokies, but eventually signed his LOI with the Gators.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Let's see tomorrow what the lick read ✍ ✍ ✍ <a href="https://twitter.com/Rick_Wells3">@Rick_Wells3</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hokies?src=hash">#Hokies</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HokieNation?src=hash">#HokieNation</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/acc?src=hash">#acc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachFuente">@CoachFuente</a> <a href="https://t.co/nFaZ7Q9ZlS">pic.twitter.com/nFaZ7Q9ZlS</a></p>
— JaQuan BaiLey #9 (@j_bailey9) <a href="https://twitter.com/j_bailey9/status/694645248799145984">February 2, 2016</a>
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<p>Unfortunately, it proved to be a gigantic troll move. Wells is rated as a 4-star by Rivals and ESPN, and a 3 star by 247 and Scout.</p>
<h4>Rick Wells (Jacksonville, FL. 195lbs, 6'-2". Wide Receiver)</h4>
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<p>Wells has a relatively compact stride for a long-legged receiver, but theoretically he could chew up ground. He DOES have a huge catch radius- as I described before, his quarterback is a bit scattershot, and Wells has to make up for that. He's also a huge body, which is always good as a bailout receiver. Combine the hands with the moves and the body control, he'd be a very valuable weapon no matter where you line him up on the field.</p>
https://www.gobblercountry.com/2016/2/3/10902740/Virginia-Tech-Hokies-Football-Recruiting-Signing-Day-Rick-WellsBlueLoneWolf2016-02-03T09:06:07-05:002016-02-03T09:06:07-05:00Yoink! Virginia Tech nabs Rodgers from ODU
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<img alt="In Rodgers, Facyson gets a new secondary mate." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/z6FBrJz1b36wwekA1glo3DGxwes=/1634x236:4158x1919/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48715829/usa-today-8850849.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>In Rodgers, Facyson gets a new secondary mate. | Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Virginia Tech flipped 3-star Athlete/cornerback from New Jersey- he's changed his commitment from the Monarchs to the Hokies.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just received an offer from Virginia Tech <a href="https://t.co/Mg10q57iur">pic.twitter.com/Mg10q57iur</a></p>
— 2️⃣ (@_trodgers2) <a href="https://twitter.com/_trodgers2/status/692386023993663488">January 27, 2016</a>
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<p>That was from January 27<sup>th</sup>. This is a late game grab by Coach Fuente- it's netted Tech a brand new defensive back. Rodgers' offer came just before the final official visit weekend. It must have excited him. He came right down, and when he went home, he cancelled a following official to his home-state school, Rutgers. Rodgers adds another defensive back to Gray's potential pupil cabinet. Rodgers is rated at 3 stars by all four major recruiting services.</p>
<h4>Tyree Rodgers (Cherry Hill, NJ. 170lbs, 6'-1", Athlete/Cornerback)</h4>
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<p>I like cornerbacks that make plays and tackle. Rodgers does both. He's got good hands and goes and gets the ball. He's also shifty and has speed- it'll help him in the semi-man semi-zone defense that Foster generally runs on the outside. He'll definitely fit in the short field corner, where he can use that athleticism against weaker receivers- I mean, that's kind of the strategy that Bud goes with, it's why you see those boundary corners with gaudy interception totals on our team. But his quarterback tape can only show me that he's got shiftiness and he'll hopefully use that knowledge to understand opposing offenses. He's also lengthy for a corner, at 6'-1". That long frame will help against the larger receivers we often see.</p>
<p>Sorry ODU, but congratulations to Tyree!</p>
https://www.gobblercountry.com/2016/2/3/10901906/national-signing-day-virginia-tech-tyree-rodgers-hokiesBlueLoneWolf2016-02-03T02:02:23-05:002016-02-03T02:02:23-05:00National Signing Day 2016: Virginia Tech Edition
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<figcaption>Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Let's Look At Who We Know Are Locked and Enrolled</p> <p>National Signing Day is here, and before we start name dropping, let's look at who we already have in the stable for 2016. These kids are already enrolled at Virginia Tech and are signed, sealed, and delivered.</p>
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<tr>
<td>Player</td>
<td>Stars (24/7 Composite)</td>
<td>State</td>
<td>Position</td>
<td>Height/Weight</td>
<td>Position Rank</td>
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<td>Jerod Evans</td>
<td>****</td>
<td>TX</td>
<td>QB</td>
<td>6'4" 225</td>
<td>1</td>
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<td>Khalil Ladler</td>
<td>***</td>
<td>FL</td>
<td>CB</td>
<td>5'10" 168</td>
<td>34</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Divine Deablo</td>
<td>***</td>
<td>NC</td>
<td>WR</td>
<td>6'3 180 <span> </span>
</td>
<td>73</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Joshua Jackson</td>
<td>***</td>
<td>MI</td>
<td>QB</td>
<td>6'2" 200<span> </span>
</td>
<td>12</td>
</tr>
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<td>Eric Kumah<span> </span>
</td>
<td>***</td>
<td>VA</td>
<td>WR</td>
<td>6'3" 205</td>
<td>90</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Samuel Denmark</td>
<td>***</td>
<td>SC</td>
<td>WR</td>
<td>6'0" 175</td>
<td>104</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Demetri Moore</td>
<td>***</td>
<td>MS</td>
<td>OT</td>
<td>6'6" 285</td>
<td>12</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jimmie Taylor</td>
<td>***</td>
<td>NC</td>
<td>WDE</td>
<td>6'3" 220</td>
<td>48</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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<p> </p>
Before we can announce anybody, let's take a good look at who we have already. The fact that Jerod Evans (#1 ranked JUCO QB in the country) is already in should fire you up. The fact that we also have Joshua Jackson signed should let you breathe easy. Quarterback depth has been a real issue for the Hokies, and having Lawson, Evans, and Jackson in the pipeline pretty much guarantees we will have depth in the backfield like never before. Stay tuned to gobblercountry.com and twitter @gobblercountry all day today to see who else we welcome home.
https://www.gobblercountry.com/2016/2/3/10903312/national-signing-day-2016-virginia-tech-editionRoy Hatfield