Signing Day capsule: Alan Tisdale
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Alan Tisdale was long one of VT's priorities in the Greensboro area of North Carolina, where he attended Page High. The competitors lost out, and he's a Hokie.
A 6-3, 206-pound linebacker, he's capable of making an impact in a bit of a hybrid role, and will have the chance to figure out where he best fits very soon. He will enroll in January and go through spring practice.
Rankings
Four-star, No. 14 overall player in North Carolina. No. 23 outside linebacker in the country.
Other suitors
East Carolina, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Purdue, Syracuse, Wake Forest, Washington State
Recruitment story
Tisdale built up an impressive offer list, and trimmed it to Louisville, Mississippi, NC State and Notre Dame early last Summer. After a couple trips to check out Notre Dame (the greatest geographic outlier in his list), he announced that he was ready to decide, and on the heels of some good friends from the area picking VT, things looked rosy. Expectations held true, and after he committed to the Hokies, he never wavered.
Game breakdown
Tisdale has a big frame and can grow into a true linebacker, but his versatility at the college level is very intriguing. He lines up everywhere from defensive end to cornerback(!) for his high school team, and has the athleticism and mobility to play a bit of a hybrid role. While he'll have to bulk up a bit to follow through on the linebacker portion of that role, he's already bigger than starting Whip linebacker Mook Reynolds, so as long as he remains able to cover (which the staff will prioritize as they put weight on him), he can be a huge lynchpin to this defense.
Statistically speaking
Page finished 11-2. In 12 games, Tisdale had 112 tackles, 17.5 of them for loss (including 3.0 sacks), plus six quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, four pass breakups, and two interceptions returned for 35 yards. He also blocked a punt.