Grading The Class: Defense
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The 2015 class is a solid one for Virginia Tech, finishing at No. 23 in the country, according to Rivals.com. A number of needs were met and some quality athletes are heading to Blacksburg. There's a lot to be happy with overall with this class, after an impressive recruiting job by the coaching staff.
We break down both sides of the ball, now with the defense and grade each position based on need, how the Hokies filled it and hits and misses in the 2014 class.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Virginia Tech had some big offers out and scored a huge addition with Stonewall Jackson (Va.) four-star defensive tackle Tim Settle. Ranked No. 174 in the Rivas250, Settle is a load for offensive linemen to handle. He has some good moves and has also done a very good job of getting a hand up to get an interception or two or knock the ball down. And Settle spent much of the last two seasons double-teamed, making what he's been able to accomplish even more impressive.
There's a few knocks on Settle, though. He's been known to add bad weight, at one point weighing over 340 pounds. When he's played, that's come off, but that's still a concern. Settle also struggled mightily on the camp circuit at times, getting beaten by linemen he shouldn't have. And while he's made numerous strides with his academics, it'll still be a wait and see whether he has to spend a semester at prep school or not. But when he does arrive at Virginia Tech, he has a chance to have a very impressive career, as the space eater that the Hokies have done well with, a la Antoine Hopkins and Derrick Hopkins.
Virginia Tech also signed a pair of less-heralded, but nonetheless three-star defensive tackles with high ceilings in Harry Lewis and Eric Whitehead. Lewis has a very high motor. He's not a huge guy, at 6'0" and 260 pounds and that's been a big knock on him. If he were about three inches taller, he'd be a four-star kid hands down and would have had a ton more offers. But Lewis seems to do well as under-estimated. He's a great run-stopper who also knows how to get after the quarterback.
Whitehead had some transfer issues that caused him to miss the first few games of last season and shortened his senior season. He's got good size, though and excels especially in the pass rush. He's not the elite defender Settle is, but should provide a nice complement inside.
This was an area that the Hokies did have a few misses. The one that hurts the most was Darvin Taylor II. An in-state kid from outside of Richmond, he was one of a number of misses in that area of the state. And for much of his recruitment, he was considered a good bet to be at Virginia Tech. Taylor chose Florida State, instead.
Overall Grade: B+
DEFENSIVE END
Oh, what could have been. If there's one position fans and critics will point to as the position that the Hokies fell short on, it's this one. And that's due to missing out on five-star Josh Sweat from Oscar Smith (Va.), who went to Florida State and four-star Jalen Dalton from West Forsyth (NC), who went to North Carolina. At points in both of their recruitments, Virginia Tech was considered the favorite and both made official visits in Blacksburg.
But let's not dwell on the misses. Even with those, the Hokies pulled in four, three of which could be big-time playmakers in maroon and orange. Let's start with perhaps the biggest hidden gem in the class, Yosuah Nijman. A four-star who was the No. 2 prep player in the country, Nijman was largely overlooked due to not playing much football in high school. One look at his film and he jumps off the screen as a monster of a lineman, who smartly knows how to recover and get to the ball. He was widely talked about as an offensive lineman, though, and while defense suits him best, could be the likely candidate to move to the offensive side should help be needed there.
Four-star Darius Fullwood was another impressive get. He initially favored Virginia Tech, pulled a surprise by committing to Kentucky, then because of the diligence of former assistant Aaron Moorehead, flipped back to the Hokies. He's not as quick coming off the edge, which could make him a candidate to play inside. He's strong, though, and with improved footwork, could turn into a big-time defensive end.
There was some concern over whether or not Trevon Hill would even make it to Blacksburg, due to some legal issues that occurred when he was a minor. That was the reason why his letter of intent was by far the last to arrive, mid-afternoon on signing day. But Virginia Tech says he's in the clear and with that said, Hill could be one of the most underrated of the class. His off-field issues cut his senior season short in late October, denying him a fourth star, but when he's on top of his game, he's tough to stop.
Three-star Houshun Gaines had a soap opera of a recruitment. He was a heavy Hokies lean, committed to Florida, was apparently involved in a 'catfishing' scheme that nullified that commitment, pledged to Virginia Tech, then flirted with Vanderbilt before sticking with the Hokies. He played on an awful team that didn't win a game in two years, but Gaines has talent. He slimmed down, though, making it a possibility he could play at linebacker if the need is there.
Overall Grade: B
LINEBACKER
Of all the talent Virginia Tech pulled in, despite his four-stars, Tremaine Edmunds might be the most overlooked. Much of that is because he plays at small, Dan River (Va.). But he burst onto the scene at the Rivals Camp Series stop in Washington, DC last year and was arguably the best defender on the field. That vaulted him into the Rivals250.
Edmunds is a freakishly good athlete who also plays basketball and runs track. He packs a lot of power into each of his tackles and is a true sideline to sideline player. There's been talk of him playing defensive end, though he's strikingly similar to a healthy Ronny Vandyke and will start off at 'backer.
Another very overlooked player is East Lake (Fla.) three-star Carson Lydon. Playing on a state runner-up team, he finished with just under 100 tackles on the season. Lydon played top competition in Florida week in and week out and delivered. He's not as fast or athletic as Edmunds, but much in the mold of former linebacker Jack Tyler, he plays his heart out and is a smart player. Enrolling early will also give him a big boost.
Finally, three-star Adonis Alexander could go at either linebacker or strong safety. He has the build for either. Alexander played on a team that went undefeated in the regular season before a playoff upset, but Alexander was a big reason for the run of success. Another player who will benefit from enrolling early.
A few misses here that would have been nice, like Ricky DeBerry, Chad Smith and Darrin Kirkland Jr., though none of those were ever considered Hokies leans.
Overall Grade: A-
DEFENSIVE BACK
There's been a long run of success with 'DBU' and this class should add to it. And the guy that should be the first in any discussion is Mook Reynolds. A three-star who spent much of last year in the Rivals250, Reynolds is a perfect fit to be a nickel corner and will certainly slide in as a starter soon after.
Reynolds is a ball hawk by definition. He plays great in press man coverage and when he's on, he's tough to beat. He's slender, but has great reaction and instincts and recovers well. He struggled late in the season, leading to his drop in ranking, but Reynolds was also a bit burnt out in a number of ways and dying to get to Virginia Tech. An early enrollee, he should be rejuvenated in Blacksburg.
Committing on the same day as Reynolds, for the Hokies' first junior day of 2014, was three-star DuWayne Johnson. Another long and slender corner, he has very good length. A catalyst for a big run by Woodson (DC), Johnson might be a bit further away than Reynolds as far as impact, but he should fit in well with assistant coach Torrian Gray.
Graduating both of its starting seniors from 2014, Virginia Tech needed help at safety. And the Hokies pulled in two of the guys on the top of their list from the beginning in four-star Jahque Alleyne and Adonis Williamson.
Alleyne especially is impressive to watch. He didn't put up big numbers at Ocean Lakes (Va.), but was instrumental in the Dolphins getting to the VHSL Class 6A state championship game. Not many teams threw on Alleyne, with him playing over the top. He's as rangy as any safety you'll see.
Williamson was originally thought to be a cornerback and is ranked as such. But he's made himself known more as a safety. Williamson is fast and has great hands. His recovery ability should make him better as a safety as well.
There's a few misses that hurt here, especially losing one-time commitments Marcus Lewis (Florida State) and Ashton White (Notre Dame). Virginia Tech also looked great with Kevin Toliver II and Garrett Taylor, but couldn't close either. Still, 'DBU' looks like it should be in great shape with the additions, especially with Reynolds.
Overall Grade: A