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Givens, Meadows finish ranked as three-stars in 2022

Barring a late surprise, Virginia Tech will finish the 2022 recruiting cycle without a four-star prospect in the signing class for the second time in three years.

In the final edition of the Class of 2022 prospect rankings, both Gunner Givens and Brody Meadows dropped from the ranks of the four-stars to three-star status. Both actually remained static in the offensive tackle position rankings, meaning that their drops were more about a sheer volume of other players moving up than their moving too far down.

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The Virginia Tech recruiting class is now down to No. 36 nationally, with 20 players signed (the three unsigned players are not accounted for in the Rivals.com Team Recruiting Rankings). As things stand today, the Hokies would have to add a new commitment to climb out of their 36th-place tie with Illinois. Even signing offensive lineman Xavier Chaplin (the least likely of the unsigned pledges to put pen to ink), Daequan Wright, and Malachi Madison would not be enough to bump the group into No. 35 in the rankings.

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Givens was previously ranked a 5.8 four-star and the No. 232 overall prospect in the country.

He participated as a tight end (where he looked perhaps-surprisingly solid) at the Under Armour All America Game, and was announced as a defensive lineman in all of Virginia Tech's signing day materials. It could be that positional confusion - and his desire to play something other than his most natural position on offensive line - that sees him drop out of four-star status. That he's also not a dominant player in SWVA high school football is a little troublesome.

However, Hokie fans certainly won't complain if he outperforms the rankings once he settles in at a final position and hones his body for the Power-5 level.

Meadows was a 5.8 four-star just outside the Rivals250, and he remains just outside the 250, but with a slightly diminished star rating to show for it.

While he has the frame and athleticism to be a high-end offensive lineman in due time, he's got work to do in building up his body and refining technique before he's ready to perform in the ACC. There's certainly no shame in that - but it makes sense that it's seen as just below the bar for four-star status, as well.

The class

The coaching staff under Brent Pry had to split its focus early on. The group succeeded in finishing out the 2022 recruiting class with a few nice flips and by retaining the vast majority of the commit they inherited (though high-profile losses like quarterback Alex Orji and running back Ramon Brown to Michigan and Maryland, respectively, still stung).

They've also done a better-than-expected job in retaining the current talent that was recruited by someone else's staff, with only wide receiver Tayvion Robinson (Kentucky) a meaningful loss to the Transfer Portal. The Portal taketh away, but it also giveth: VT added a pair of quarterbacks and a pair of receivers who have enrolled for spring practice, and there's still a bit of effort being put toward monitoring others.

All told, simply returning most of last year's roster, plus upgrading via a year of experience (and at the QB position, talent) at most positions could set this group up for a solid start in charge.

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