Hokies will go head-to-head with top competition for Doug Nester

Virginia Tech is still in the hunt for Huntington (W.Va.) Spring Valley 2019 offensive lineman Doug Nester. It won't be an easy battle though, with some national powers also littering his final five list.

Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, and West Virginia are the other contenders remaining. Louisville, LSU, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Tennessee are among the teams he eliminated from the hunt. Alabama and Ohio State are two of the most formidable recruiters in the country, while Florida has had success in the past, and of course West Virginia has the home-state advantage. However, Nester has already visited Blacksburg, which helps keep VT strong in his mind.

The 6-4, 280-pound Nester is a four-star prospect in the 2019 class (just outside the Rivals100) and one of the most highly coveted offensive linemen among rising juniors. Narrowing his list this early will allow the final five contenders to focus their efforts on him - and each other, from a competitive standpoint.

He doesn't have further plans for narrowing the list or making an announcement, but is expected to visit all the contenders at least once more this Summer and/or Fall before any additional changes to his list. That should include a stop at VT for the Blacksburg Barbecue event.