A History of Hokie Recruiting
Most-recruited area
2nd-most
5+ recruits
EARLY UPS AND DOWNS 1987-1992
Alexandria
Virginia Tech took what it could get in the early Frank Beamer years, but it was still mostly from in the state.
The Tidewater/757 area was the main hub, although Tech hit Northern Virginia, Richmond and the Blue Ridge areas as
well. When the Hokies went out of state, they generally pushed north. Maryland and D.C. were hotbeds, while places like
Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York had good representation.
TOP PLAYERS SIGNED
OT Eugene Chung 1987
Hardly a heralded recruit from Northern Virginia, he was one of Frank Beamer’s
very best early players, earning first-team All-America honors in 1991.
119 signees/significant walk-ons
56.3% in-state
N. Va
Valley
43.7% out
Richmond
Blacksburg
C Jim Pyne 1990
Pyne signed out of Milford, Massachusetts, part of the Hokies’ early northern
thrust. He’d become a unanimous All-American and have his number retired.
QB Jim Druckenmiller 1991
One of the best prep school signees Beamer had out of Fork Union,
Druckenmiller led the Hokies’ first Big East champion teams.
1-4 recruits
Southwest
Newport News
Piedmont
Blue
Ridge
Tidewater
Virginia Beach
In-state recruits: TW 26 (39%), NOVA 14 (21%), Piedmont 12 (18%), Blue Ridge 12 (18%), SWVA 3 (4%), Valley: 0 (0%) | Out-of-state leaders: Maryland/D.C. 16, Florida 8, Pennsylvania 5, New Jersey 5, New York 5, West Virginia 4
A BOWL ERA BEGINS 1993-1998
Although much has been made about in-state talent acquired in this period, the majority of the Hokies’ recruits in this
six-year stretch were from out of state, with a growing influence in Florida and a foothold in Pennsylvania. In-state, the
Lynchburg area, led by Cornell Brown, had a renaissance. The Blue Ridge region actually surpassed Tidewater, while
Richmond recruiting waned.
TOP PLAYERS SIGNED
DE Cornell Brown 1993
One of the first major in-state recruits to stay home and sign with Virginia Tech,
the All-American defensive end ushered in the Hokies' bowl era.
137 signees/significant walk-ons
48.2% in-state
Valley
51.8% out
Lynchburg
DE Corey Moore 1996
An undersized junior college transfer, Moore starred on the Hokies’ teams of
the late ’90s, joining Brown as a national defensive player of the year honoree.
QB Michael Vick 1998
Although not as hyped as Ronald Curry coming out of high school, Vick
changed the game, getting Tech to the cusp of a national title.
N. Va
Southwest
PiedmontHampton
Blue
Ridge
Tidewater
Chesapeake
In-state breakdown: Blue Ridge 24 (36%), TW 18 (27%), NOVA 10 (15%), Piedmont 7 (11%), SWVA 5 (8%), Valley 2 (3%) | Out-of-state leaders: Florida 21, Pennsylvania 12, New Jersey 9, Maryland/D.C. 6, New York 5, Delaware 3
HOKIES HEYDAY 1999-2003
Fairfax
At the height of Beamer’s run, the Hokies were as provincial as they’d get, with more than 60 percent of their
signees coming from in-state during this 5-year stretch. Tech hit Tidewater hard, signing not only a good
number of the area’s recruits but grabbing the very best the 757 had to offer. Outside of Kevin Jones, Pennsylvania recruiting started to diminish.
TOP PLAYERS SIGNED
RB Kevin Jones 2001
The Hokies beat all the major players, including Jones’ home state Penn State, for
the country’s No. 1-rated recruit. He’s the school’s second-leading all-time rusher.
107 signees/significant walk-ons
60.7% in-state
39.3% out
Valley
Richmond
PiedmontHampton
CB DeAngelo Hall 2001
When the Hokies regularly mined the top talent in the Tidewater, Hall was among the
best they got. The All-American corner was also a punt returner extraordinaire.
LB Xavier Adibi 2003
Adibi signed with Tech in 2003 and would start for four years alongside
Vince Hall, forming the best linebacking duo in school history.
N. Va
Southwest
Blue
Ridge
Tidewater
Chesapeake
In-state breakdown: TW 25 (38%), NOVA 15 (24%), Blue Ridge 10 (15%), Piedmont 10 (15%), Valley 4 (6%), SWVA 1 (2%) | Out-of-state leaders: Florida 12, Maryland/D.C. 9, Tennessee 5, Ohio 3, New Jersey 3, Pennsylvania 3
ENTER THE ACC 2004-2011
The most radical shift in out-of-state recruiting occurred once the Hokies left the Big East for the ACC. Predictably, Tech
moved down the map, pulling recruits from North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia with much greater frequency. The
Hokies hit the usual spots in the state, but reflecting population trends, Northern Virginia became a target-rich zone.
TOP PLAYERS SIGNED
CB Victor "Macho" Harris 2005
The Hokies went all in on this Highland Springs product, who was the state’s
top prospect in 2005. He’d be a first-team All-American four years later.
184 signees/significant walk-ons
58.1% in-state
41.9% out
Stafford
Valley
Richmond
PiedmontHampton
QB Tyrod Taylor 2007
A difference-maker, Taylor carried on the Hokies’ 757 quarterback lineage
of Vick and Bryan Randall. Arguably a top-five player in program history.
RB David Wilson 2009
The last time the top-ranked recruit in the state chose Tech was when
Wilson, from Danville, did in 2009. He was All-American as a junior.
N. Va
Southwest
Blue
Ridge
Tidewater
Virginia Beach
In-state breakdown: TW 31 (29%), NOVA 27 (25%), Piedmont 23 (21%), Blue Ridge 20 (19%), Valley 4 (4%), SWVA: 2 (2%) | Out-of-state leaders: North Carolina 18, Maryland/D.C. 17, Florida 8 , New Jersey 7, South Carolina 7, Georgia 7
THE LATE SLIDE 2012-2016
A shift back toward more out-of-state recruiting likely reflects not only the Hokies’ diminished standing in Virginia but
also the varied background of coaches hired after 2012. Florida is Tech’s primary out-of-state producer of talent, though
not by much. In-state, the Tidewater continues to lead the pack, followed by Richmond and Northern Virginia.
N. Va
TOP PLAYERS SIGNED
CB Kendall Fuller 2013
The last of the Fuller brothers out of Baltimore, Kendall was on track to be in
the conversation for best Tech cornerback ever before a knee injury last season.
120 signees/significant walk-ons
51.6% in-state
Richmond
Piedmont
TE Bucky Hodges 2013
Expected to be the heir apparent to Logan Thomas at quarterback, Hodges
instead shifted to tight end, where he’s among the best in the ACC.
WR Isaiah Ford 2014
A Jacksonville, Florida, recruit who picked the Hokies late, Ford is the
first Tech receiver to top 1,000 yards in a season.
Valley
48.4% out
Southwest
Blue
Ridge
Tidewater
Virginia Beach
In-state breakdown: TW 20 (32%), Piedmont 16 (26%), NOVA 14 (23%), Blue Ridge 11 (18%), SWVA 1 (1%), Valley 0 (0%) | Out of state leaders: Florida 12, Georgia 9, North Carolina 9, Maryland/D.C. 6, Pennsylvania 5, New Jersey 4