Grading The Class: Offense
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The 2015 class is a solid one for Virginia Tech, finishing at No. 24 in the country, according to Rivals.com. A number of needs were met and some quality athletes are heading to Blacksburg.
We break down both sides of the ball, beginning with the offense and grade each position based on need, how the Hokies filled it and hits and misses in the 2014 class.
QUARTERBACK
Yes, Michael Brewer is a senior and is the incumbent starter. But his inconsistent play has left the position up for grabs. And entering spring practice, the position should be pretty close to an an open competition, if not fully open.
Virginia Tech does have options besides Brewer. It signed a pair of three-star quarterbacks in last year's class, Chris Durkinand Andrew Ford, both of whom redshirted this past season. And junior Brenden Motley will also get a look as well.
For the 2015 class, there wasn't necessarily a must for a quarterback. But typically, teams like to take one quarterback in each class if possible. And as he's been known to do, offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler was very selective. There were a handful of offers given out and a few quarterbacks who were top targets, but committed elsewhere: Rivals100 quarterback Brandon Wimbush was arguably the top target, before he committed to Penn State and later flipped to Notre Dame.
But beginning in early October, Loeffler came on a quarterback who at the time was committed elsewhere, Hillsborough (Fla.) four-star Dwayne Lawson. Committed to Miami since May, Lawson began to have second thoughts, especially with the rise of true freshman quarterback Brad Kaaya this past fall. The Hokies quietly went about recruiting Lawson, who officially visited Nov. 28 for the Virginia game. And at the Semper Fidelis game last month, on national TV, Lawson officially flipped to Virginia Tech.
Lawson ascended up the rankings with his late season play, as well as the Semper Fi game. He's a tall, athletic kid, at 6'6" and has a cannon for an arm. His precision is very impressive and he can also scramble when needed. Lawson is a huge steal for Virginia Tech and one of the most impressive additions in the class. He might be a year away from seriously contending, but he has all the makings of being the Hokies' starting quarterback during his college career.
Overall Grade: A
RUNNING BACK
This is a position very much in the air because of two key injuries last fall. True freshmen Marshawn Williams and Shai McKenzie are both coming off of torn ACLs. But McKenzie might be the most in question because he tore the same ACL he tore as a high school senior in 2013.
While J.C. Coleman returns as a senior next fall and Trey Edmunds should also play a key role as a junior, the 2015 class was about simply finding more help and shoring up the depth. But Virginia Tech also wanted to find a versatile player or two who could play multiple roles.
The big get was four-star Deshawn McClease from Oscar Smith (Va.). McClease is a shifty runner, who piled up 2,025 yards rushing this past fall. But he's not a pure north-south runner. He's also a player who could be lined up in the slot on occasion, because he has good hands. Depending on how Williams and McKenzie rebound, McClease could be a player to contribute immediately. Or, he could be a guy who starts off on the bench, but would be next in line should another running back go down due to injury.
Salem (Va.) two-star Coleman Fox is listed as an athlete, so it's not determined where he'll play yet, but tailback or at least, a change of pace back, could be where Fox fits in. Fox is smaller, under six-feet tall, but he's a versatile player who ran for over 1,500 yards and 19 touchdowns.
There were a few misses at this position, most notably Rivals100 running back Nyheim Hines (NC State) and Rivals250 running back Bryce Love (Stanford), but McClease is a dandy pickup.
Overall Grade: A-
WIDE RECEIVER
Though there were no receivers signed, this is another area where Virginia Tech missed. From the beginning, the Hokies decided there wasn't a pressing need here, because of the talent coming back next season, most notably Isaiah Ford and Cam Philips, but if the right receiver was there, they would take him.
Really, there were only two receivers who were pressed hard. Rivals250 receiver Lawrence Cager was looked at hard by former assistant coach Aaron Moorehead. Cager participated in Virginia Tech's July prospect camp and officially visited in December. But he committed to Miami, though he flirted with Alabama.
The other receiver who had been the top target was three-star Felton Davis from Highland Springs (Va.), traditionally a school that has leaned towards the Hokies. But while Davis was long-thought to be a Virginia Tech lean himself, he committed to Michigan State last summer.
The one addition that could be considered here is Fox, who could see some time in the slot, as the Hokies try to figure out where he fits best.
Overall Grade: D-
TIGHT END
Technically, Virginia Tech reeled in two tight ends, in three-stars Xavier Burke and Chris Cunningham. Burke, though, signed last year, fell short in his academic requirements, played at Fork Union Military Academy (Va.) last fall and enrolled with the Hokies last month.
I say technically, because Burke in all likelihood won't play tight end in Blacksburg. Burke played very little tight end in high school and prep school and looks like he's ticketed to play defensive end. He played well there especially as a senior, helping Brunswick (Va.) to a state runner-up finish.
Cunningham could be a year away from making an impact, but is a quality pick up at tight end. He's a lengthy guy who has good hands, though he was used a lot as a blocking tight end.
It's likely Cunningham will be an apprentice for sophomore Bucky Hodges and senior to be Ryan Malleck. But with the uncertainty of Kalvin Cline, who was injured most of last season, Cunningham does provide a nice fallback option. Because Cunningham committed over the summer, there really weren't too many misses here. Rivals100 tight end Chris Clark got a look, but not an overly serious one.
Overall Grade: B
OFFENSIVE LINE
For another recruiting class, Virginia Tech desperately needed help on the offensive line. And in this class, the Hokies had one of the best in the country and a local kid at that, somewhat fall in their lap.
Rivals250 tackle Austin Clark, from nearby Rockbridge County (Va.), originally committed to South Carolina in a televised announcement on WSLS & HokieHaven.com last June. But with an ailing family member, along with other factors, Clark reconsidered. He visited Virginia Tech in early November and committed soon after. Clark enrolled with the Hokies last month.
Virginia Tech also pulled in a pair of impressive tackles in three-stars Mike Arnold and D'Andre Plantin, though assistant coach Bryan Stinespring said yesterday that Plantin could play inside at guard. LSU made a late push for Arnold, who has long arms and a good frame at 6'5" and 280 pounds.
Plantin is an interesting recruit because he's flip-flopped positions. He played offensive tackle as a high school junior, moved to defensive tackle as a junior and participated in camps last summer at that position. Plantin then moved back to offensive line this past fall and excelled. The moves were all the result of Norcross (Ga.) graduating players or having injuries dictate the moves. But Plantin really seems to have found his niche on the offensive side of the ball, where he's looked comfortable and formidable in run-blocking, especially.
The Hokies even got an added bonus yesterday, when Salem (Va.) center Zach Hoyt signed on. He chose Virginia Tech over BYU and Pittsburgh. Though many will point to his struggles in the Class 4A state title game, a loss to Lake Taylor (Va.), Hoyt has still held his own and done well blocking for Fox and a very formidable running game. His offer stands as full now, but could be a grayshirt depending on class numbers.
Another area where there were misses, but the Hokies hit on nearly everyone they were seriously in play with. Virginia Tech tried for Rivals100 tackle Isaiah Prince, who signed with Ohio State and four-star Emmanuel McGirt, who did officially visit, but went to NC State. But the one that really hurts is three-star tackle Fred Johnson, who committed to the Hokies in September, decommitted and then looked like he was heading to Miami, before signing with Florida. Virginia Tech thought it had a great chance of wrapping him back up.
Overall Grade: B