Hokies make final three for James Mitchell

And then there were three. Big Stone Gap (Va.) Union tight end James Mitchell has eliminated Tennessee and South Carolina. Duke, Georgia, and Virginia Tech are the final three contenders remaining in his recruitment:

The 6-4, 210-pounder is a four-star ranked the No. 14 tight end in the nation and the No. 6 player in the state of Virginia's 2018 class. He has scholarship offers from around the country, but the local Hokies and Vols have long been considered favorites With Tennessee out of the mix, this could be a VT-Georgia battle.

Mitchell took his official visit to Blacksburg for the North Carolina game, and was at Georgia the week before that. Of course, it's always a fool's errand to count out Duke with high-academic prospects, too.

Mitchell hasn't announced a timeline for making a final decision, but has periodically released trims to his list. With several past visits to Blacksburg, the Hokies are hoping the next announcement is a pledge to Virginia Tech.