Hokies in the final 12 for in-state LB Kristopher Jones
Virginia Tech's quest to land some of the top players in the Commonwealth in the 2024 class got a boost yesterday. Stafford (Va.) Mountain View four-star linebacker - and the top-ranked player on home turf - Kristopher Jones included Virginia Tech in his final 12 programs.
Not a HokieHaven.com subscriber? Join today for access to all our premium content and message board community. Already INSIDE? Join the conversation on The Gobbler!
Florida, Georgia, LSU, Maryland, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, and Virginia are the other 11 standing for the 6-2, 224-pounder. While he maintains that his list may shift down the line (particularly if new interest arrives), Auburn, South Carolina, Wake Forest, and West Virginia are among the many others who have already entered his recruitment, but will be moved to the back-burner for the time being.
Jones has visited Blacksburg on several occasions, most recently for the Hokies' game against Miami in October. However, he has also visited several of his other top programs more than once (with Penn State having the same number of drop-ins as VT to lead the way, according to the Rivals.com database).
The Hokies will have to work hard to maintain their solid perch in Jones's recruitment. Given the other programs in the hunt, it may come as no surprise that priority No. 1, and the way they can best improve their standing, is by showing improvement on the field. The Hokies and Hoos were the only programs in the hunt that finished last season with sub-.500 records - though they obviously benefit from geography for the Fredericksburg-area Jones.
He has not announced further plans to narrow his list or come to a college commitment, but a round of offseason visits is expected before he makes big decisions in that regard.
----
Chat about this story and all things Hokies and Hokie recruiting on our premium message board, The Gobbler!
Follow on Twitter: @Hokie_Haven @sullivti @realtbannerman @connormardian10
Like us on Facebook, support the site by following our YouTube channel and Instagram account @Hokie_Haven.
Tips/questions/concerns? E-mail publisher Tim Sullivan here.
Not a HokieHaven.com subscriber? Join today for access to all our premium content and message board community.
---