Big receiver Nigel Fitzgerald takes in VT junior day
Virginia Tech's coaching staff hasn't quite wrapped up the 2017 recruiting class, but that hasn't prevented the Hokies from taking a look to 2018, as well. Just over a week ago, they invited some of the Mid-Atlantic region's top prospects to campus for a junior day, including one from a familiar school.
Greensboro (N.C.) Dudley already sent 2017 quarterback Hendon Hooker to campus as an early enrollee, and the Hokies have offered a number of his teammates, including 2017 offensive lineman Bryson Speas (an NC State commit) and 2018 receiver DJ Crossen (a North Carolina pledge). One that hasn't received an offer just yet - but could in the future - is 6-5, 200-pound wide receiver Nigel Fitzgerald.
"Hopefully, camp will secure my chances of getting an offer," he said.
The junior day trip was Fitzgerald's second to Blacksburg, and he enjoyed it just as much as the first.
"It was great," he said. "This was my second time being there for a visit: I visited for their season opener at home against Liberty. Their campus and facilities are really nice. I enjoyed it a lot, just like my first time.
"This time I actually got to see the entire school and and academic tour as well. I also saw all of their facilities and got to learn overall facts about the school."
Since he's hoping to pick up an offer from VT this summer, the opportunity to sit down and talk with members of the coaching staff was important. He has some familiarity with the coaches, thanks to their recruitments of his older teammates, but continued building bonds and getting to know new members of the staff.
"I'd spoken with [defensive line coach Charley] Wiles and [head coach Justin] Fuente before I came up for Junior Day," he explained. "We talked a lot about the different positions they thought I could play on the next level with my size and skill. We also discussed me coming up for camp. At Junior Day, I got to meet Coach [Holmon] Wiggins, the receivers coach, and speak with him. I really like his style and how serious he is about what he does."
Virginia Tech isn't the only school showing interest. East Carolina, NC State, Old Dominion, and Kentucky are among the FBS programs checking him out, while FCS schools like Fayetteville State and the Ivy League's Princeton and Yale are also taking a look.
After a year in which he was Dudley's third-leading receiver with 25 grabs for 462 yards (an outstanding 18.5 per reception) and six touchdowns from the arm of Hooker, a big summer should see him burst onto the recruiting scene in a major way.