Rivals250 WR Latrell Neville commits to Virginia Tech

Commitment has been on the mind of Latrell Neville for some time already.

In fact, the Rivals250 wide receiver had flirted with the idea of announcing his intentions as recently as last fall and in his mind, was going to put a pin in his recruitment in May at the latest. The coronavirus forcing everyone to stay at home has given Neville plenty of opportunities to settle on his decision, leading into Sunday's commitment.

Neville pledged committed to Virginia Tech over the likes of Texas, Oklahoma, USC and LSU. He indicated his recruitment is over and he is instantly putting on his recruiting hat to help out the Hokies' efforts in the Lone Star State and nationally.

Virginia Tech signed Houston-based prospects Alec Bryant and Robert Wooten in 2020 and holds a commitment from fellow Rivals250 prospect Dematrius Davis in this class. He and Neville are the two highest-rated recruits in the Hokies' current recruiting class. Neville is the second receiver to jump on board thus far.

"I came to the realization in January that Virginia Tech was where I wanted to go. I was talking to Dee (Dematrius Davis) one night and we weighed the pros and cons. Virginia Tech has been recruiting me the hardest this whole time out of everybody. Honestly, my recruitment has had its ups and downs. I thought I'd end up at LSU and at one point, I thought Oklahoma would be it, but thinking about it, even more, I feel like Virginia Tech is the best opportunities available for me to play for a team that has a chance to compete for ACC championships every year and is one class away from a national championship. That's the difference between us and the other guys -- most guys get consecutive top-10 class and get top-100 players. No one notices our moves and I think we're close to being something to be reckoned with."

"I was going to announce on my birthday (May 14) after I took a visit to Virginia Tech for the spring game, but once this coronavirus stuff happened, I thought maybe I'd be done with it by the summer and get ready to work. I started doing my homework on my top schools and it came down to Virginia Tech is the best opportunity for me. I felt like my relationships with the coaches, from the GAs down to the edit guys, they made me feel wanted."

"One time in school during my athletic period, Coach (Justin) Fuente got off a plane and came straight to me. I asked him, 'Why?' and he said it was funny I asked. He met me at Woodbridge, but I was late because I was studying. That made me smile. Then, 'I jumped over someone and caught a touchdown,' so he knew I was a special kid. He said I always have a smile on my face and not all coaches notice things like that. Some coaches don't know kids personally like they do at Tech."

"Coach Beau Davidson is a Houston guy and he's been around this area a lot. He played a major role. Coach (Jafar) Williams, the receivers coach, and (wide receiver) Tre' Turner ... I talked with him and he told me about his process and how he's doing there ... It made me realize you can't pick a better place than Virginia Tech."

"The future is so bright for us. We're the beginning of something really special. We're the guys who wanted to be different, two of the top guys in the country that could go to Georgia, Alabama, LSU, places like that, but somewhere, somehow, those schools started with a certain class that got them going. I feel like that's what we'll be for Virginia Tech -- the class that starts all of that."

Neville is a big-bodied pass-catcher that measures up at 6-foot-4 and just under 200 pounds, He presents a huge target in the passing game -- and the ability to make plays after the catch with 4.5-second speed to get up and down the field. Neville presents a major mismatch as he's inserted across the formation and put into different situations in the red zone, out wide or in the slot.

Neville last recorded a 23.94-second 200-meter in 2018 and speed remains the biggest unknown in his game as he readies for his senior season at Fort Bend (Texas) Hightower. Last season, he tallied 30 catches for 276 yards (a whopping 25.1 yards per catch) to go along with two touchdowns.

One of Neville's best attributes is his catch radius and ability to battle for contested balls. His huge frame also gives him a wide radius paired with strong hands. In the air, that's Neville's ball to lose. The four-star also has an equally impressive release off the line, solid top-end speed and the ability to make difficult catches away from his body.

Neville also has the ability to turn shorter receptions into big gains with his ability to be physical after the catch. He's anything but easy to wrangle down in the open field. The size does not preclude the wide receiver from flashing elusive traits either. He attacks defenses as if he's a running back in space.

Expect Neville to be a major asset for Fuente and the Hokies in the red zone and attacking linebackers or smaller defensive backs in the passing game. Also, a creative offensive play-caller will find ways to move Neville across the formation and give him opportunities to eat up yards in space and be physical with the rock in his hands.