When DeJuan Ellis made the call yesterday, coaches in Blacksburg were excited. The three-star Class of 2018 quarterback let Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente and offensive coordinator Brad Cornelsen know that he was ready to become a Hokie.

“Coach Fuente said he almost jumped out of his seat,” Ellis explained with a laugh. “I heard Coach Cornelsen in the background celebrating. I think they had a nice little reaction to it.”

The 6-0, 163-pound Ellis picked VT over offers from Maryland, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, and Wake Forest. That’s a host of solid options, and the new quarterback at Owings Mills (Md.) McDonogh (he played at nearby Bishop O’Connell High as a sophomore) picked Virginia Tech because he had all the right feelings about becoming a Hokie.