Virginia Tech 2012 Recruiting Target List

[VT_Football_Fan]

Caleb needs to be left out of the biggest upside conversation. His speed is in the 4.6 - 4.7 range I think. He could still be another Boykin though

Greg Little says hello. He did prettyy well in college, and now the pros, with 4.7 speed.

 

[VTfoozball]

Small D-line is fine with you guys? Anybody remember the Miami game from last year when they ran all over us? Yeah that's fun to watch.

WR speed not important? I recall against Clemson that separation from the DBs was an issue. Sammy Watkins is one of the fastest players in the country and look what he did as a true freshman

 

[VTfoozball]

Greg Little says hello. He did prettyy well in college, and now the pros, with 4.7 speed.

Everyone is trying to turn everything into an argument. Never said Caleb was not going to be good I just said that he was a little short in the tool box. And back to the undersized D-line...when you have an undersized DE he can still do well in college BUT when the draft and NFL comes around he will have to be moved to LB. It would be better if VT had the complete package at DE for the recruiting angle. Why do you think Andrew Brown is very interested in UNC?

 

[HokieGhost]

Everyone is trying to turn everything into an argument. Never said Caleb was not going to be good I just said that he was a little short in the tool box. And back to the undersized D-line...when you have an undersized DE he can still do well in college BUT when the draft and NFL comes around he will have to be moved to LB. It would be better if VT had the complete package at DE for the recruiting angle. Why do you think Andrew Brown is very interested in UNC?

Just curious, but is there ANYTHING you actually LIKE about the Tech football program?

 

[TagAndBrag]

Everyone is trying to turn everything into an argument. Never said Caleb was not going to be good I just said that he was a little short in the tool box. And back to the undersized D-line...when you have an undersized DE he can still do well in college BUT when the draft and NFL comes around he will have to be moved to LB. It would be better if VT had the complete package at DE for the recruiting angle. Why do you think Andrew Brown is very interested in UNC?

UNC absolutely has a good recent history with DEs, but they don't necessarily recruit the ready made stars there. My friend and JH/HS QB went to UNC, was moved to DE after putting on weight, and is now in the NFL.

I agree about to-the-NFL success helping from a recruiting standpoint (as we found with Kirven last year), but that doesn't have to be linked with size in high school.

 

[VTfoozball]

Just curious, but is there ANYTHING you actually LIKE about the Tech football program?

Is there anything you DON'T like about the VT program? Oh I like plenty of things but it's not perfect

 

[sparko]

No program is. We don't have 10 300lb DEs playing High school ball in our back yard every year like Bama and LSU do. Our coaches recruit as best as they can. With the right defensive scheme and GOOD LB support, smaller quicker DEs are fine

 

[VTfoozball]

UNC absolutely has a good recent history with DEs, but they don't necessarily recruit the ready made stars there. My friend and JH/HS QB went to UNC, was moved to DE after putting on weight, and is now in the NFL.

I agree about to-the-NFL success helping from a recruiting standpoint (as we found with Kirven last year), but that doesn't have to be linked with size in high school.

I was looking over the Rival profiles of UNCs recent high draft picks on defense and about all of them were 4 star and higher. They are not turning scrubs or sleepers into 1st rounders

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

I was looking over the Rival profiles of UNCs recent high draft picks on defense and about all of them were 4 star and higher. They are not turning scrubs or sleepers into 1st rounders

A lot of those guys, as talented as they were, would have embarrassed the absolute fuck out of our program as well, have been called lazy by most scouts and were overall knuckleheads. I really don't feel bad about missing out on them, sorry.

 

[VTfoozball]

No program is. We don't have 10 300lb DEs playing High school ball in our back yard every year like Bama and LSU do. Our coaches recruit as best as they can. With the right defensive scheme and GOOD LB support, smaller quicker DEs are fine

You bring up a good point about the LBs. I haven't been exactly thrilled with the units after Adibi/Hall. A player or two here and there but they haven't been awesome as a unit since then. VT needs to get back to having talent at LB and they are showing signs of getting there with the additions in the 2012 class

 

[HokieGhost]

Is there anything you DON'T like about the VT program?

Several things, but I don't whine about them constantly in virtually every single post.

Maybe if you spent more time studying Bud Foster's defense, you would gain a better appreciation of the guys we recruit.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

I agree that we missed on some ilinebackers recently. It took a while for Bruce. Odom never panned out. Stepehens never got here. Gibson was bad and left. Jake Johnson left. I like the look of this class, however. I think that we have two good options at the Mike and backer spot (which have become pretty interchangeable since we moved from the 46) in Vandyke and Clark, and a good looking Whip in McKinnon. Edmunds could conceivably play any of those spots depending on how he grows.

 

[hokiecheme11]

1. 220 for a DE prospect is fine for me. They can easily add 20-30 lbs and 240-250 is great for a college speed end.
2. Foozball, you are putting way too much emphasis on speed. A WR who runs a 4.3 is useless if he cant run a good route. Give me a guy who can use his body correctly (at any position), has good hands, good football IQ and he will be a good WR. Jerry Rice ran a 4.7, Michael Irvin was just under 4.6. Emmt Smith was a 4.55. These guys knew how to play, use their body, and execute without being blazers and this was in the NFL and will be/are Hall of Famers. These kids are coming out of HS with God knows who timing them. They will get faster and stronger at VT anyways.

Foozball is Al Davis reincarnate!!

 

[hokiecheme11]

I agree that we missed on some ilinebackers recently. It took a while for Bruce. Odom never panned out. Stepehens never got here. Gibson was bad and left. Jake Johnson left. I like the look of this class, however. I think that we have two good options at the Mike and backer spot (which have become pretty interchangeable since we moved from the 46) in Vandyke and Clark, and a good looking Whip in McKinnon. Edmunds could conceivably play any of those spots depending on how he grows.

Speaking of linebackers, we def have been a little down lately. I really like RVD at whip, and McKinnon looks good. I hope Edmunds sticks to defense, because he seems to me like the only one with a frame to handle being an ILB

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Speaking of linebackers, we def have been a little down lately. I really like RVD at whip, and McKinnon looks good. I hope Edmunds sticks to defense, because he seems to me like the only one with a frame to handle being an ILB

Both DVD and Clarke have the frame, but need to fill out. Hell, even Jerome Wright could..... All three of those guys have the frame to get big without slowing down.

 

[hunzworth]

Both DVD and Clarke have the frame, but need to fill out. Hell, even Jerome Wright could..... All three of those guys have the frame to get big without slowing down.

I really hope he ends up at LB, could be a bit of a project but I think he could be a beast at mike.

 

[EvanGWatkins]

I really hope he ends up at LB, could be a bit of a project but I think he could be a beast at mike.

Good chance IMO but he could be a killer H-Back also

 

[sparko]

If size were everything, how is the smaller, more athletic DL of the Giants (DMFW -- holla!) absolutely annihilating teams?

We've got some H-backs now it seems .. We need backers .. I honestly haven't looked at Jerome Wright's tape though, so not sure if that would be a good fit. FWIW -- I hope Edmunds goes to defense. We're just fine in the RB dept. I'd rather see Mangus somewhere else too. I'd agree that our LBs haven't been the rock of the defense lately but I think that's turning around. Van Dyke looks like a 3-year starter, Chase, Tyler, we're building depth and we have some good kids coming in (Edmunds specifically). Bud's defense is built to capitalize on its quickness. True -- we have struggled at times against teams with BIG offensive lines but that's more of a lack of execution and a bad game plan on the defense's part .. The OL can only block so many guys.

If speed was everything (for WR), Knowles would've been starting last year as a true frosh .. Corey Fuller would have been a major contributor last season. As some have said here before, I'll take football players before I take track stars and gym freaks. Athleticism is only a part of a D-1 player's recipe for success.

 

[EvanGWatkins]

If size were everything, how is the smaller, more athletic DL of the Giants (DMFW -- holla!) absolutely annihilating teams?

We've got some H-backs now it seems .. We need backers .. I honestly haven't looked at Jerome Wright's tape though, so not sure if that would be a good fit. FWIW -- I hope Edmunds goes to defense. We're just fine in the RB dept. I'd rather see Mangus somewhere else too. I'd agree that our LBs haven't been the rock of the defense lately but I think that's turning around. Van Dyke looks like a 3-year starter, Chase, Tyler, we're building depth and we have some good kids coming in (Edmunds specifically). Bud's defense is built to capitalize on its quickness. True -- we have struggled at times against teams with BIG offensive lines but that's more of a lack of execution and a bad game plan on the defense's part .. The OL can only block so many guys.

If speed was everything (for WR), Knowles would've been starting last year as a true frosh .. Corey Fuller would have been a major contributor last season. As some have said here before, I'll take football players before I take track stars and gym freaks. Athleticism is only a part of a D-1 player's recipe for success.

Wrights highlight tape - Jerome Wright - Highlight Videos, Schedule & Roster - Hudl

 

[hokiegrad]

If everyone can come back 100% we should have a very good group of LBs in 2012. With better depth than I can remember us ever having there.