The Virginia Tech Hokies have had a strong start on the recruiting trail with the Class of 2016 with 10 commits currently headlined by 4-star athlete Reggie Floyd. The Hokies also have one offensive line commit in offensive tackle Thomas Jarrett Hopple who was a very good win for the Hokies in the 757.
However, the Hokies still have a couple of other offensive line targets that they are really pushing hard for including one who has family connections to Virginia Tech in Landon Dickerson.
Dickerson is an offensive tackle from South Caldwell High School in Hudson, North Carolina that has 13 offers from many major programs including Virginia Tech, Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida State, Alabama, Clemson, and Auburn.
Dickerson is a rising offensive tackle that impressed this past weekend at a Rivals camp. 247 Sports, ESPN, and the 247 Sports Composite have Dickerson as a four-star offensive tackle while Rivals still has him as a high three-star offensive lineman.
Currently, Dickerson is ranked as the 19th best offensive tackle and 180th best junior in the country and ESPN has him as the 200th best junior and 18th best offensive tackle. Meanwhile, the 247 Sports Composite has him as the 22nd best offensive tackle and Rivals has him as the 16th best offensive guard.
Dickerson is also ranked as the 15th best junior in North Carolina by Rivals, tenth best by the 247 Sports Composite rankings and ESPN, and sixth best by 247 Sports' traditional rankings.
Dickerson has been a top target for multiple programs, but the pursuit of the North Carolina offensive tackle seems to already be down to three teams: Virginia Tech, Tennessee, and South Carolina.
These three teams were the main contenders for Austin Clark around this time last year, but this time, the Gamecocks seem to have the smallest chance of these three programs. South Carolina has had its fair share of success on the recruiting trail and Shawn Elliott has done a good job with recruiting top offensive linemen.
However, Virginia Tech and Tennessee have separated themselves from the Gamecocks as the top two contenders for Dickerson. South Carolina should not be ruled out just yet, but they have fallen behind the Hokies and Volunteers.
The Volunteers have Don Mahoney and Mark Elder leading the recruiting push for Dickerson hoping to replicate the success that helped them flip elite four-star OT Drew Richmond from Ole Miss to Tennessee. Now, the Volunteers are hoping Mahoney and Elder can help them reel in a rising offensive tackle in Landon Dickerson.
Last weekend, Dickerson made the decision to visit the Volunteers for their Spring Game over the Hokies. Now that could be a sign that Tennessee may be in the lead, but it also could be that Dickerson plans on taking a visit to Virginia Tech in the summer and wanted to make a visit to Tennessee now.
One advantage the Hokies have in this recruiting battle is the fact that Dickerson has family that went to Virginia Tech. The Hokies have done a good job in the past of bringing recruits with VT alumni in their family to Blacksburg, and you have to think that they are selling Dickerson and his family on the "This Is Home" slogan that has become valuable in selling the Virginia Tech community and family atmosphere.
Stacy Searels has also done a good job of improving Virginia Tech's offensive line and that will definitely not go unnoticed by recruits. Searels is known as being a very good offensive line coach while he also is the type of quality recruiter that can make a big difference with Landon Dickerson.
One recruiting tool that Virginia Tech and Tennessee can't use against each other for Dickerson is the Bristol game in 2016. This game has likely been used some on the recruiting by both of these teams and while they can use it to hurt South Carolina and other teams, they can't use it against each other.
Tennessee and Virginia Tech are once again in a recruiting war, and this one isn't likely to end soon, but both teams will be prepared to pursue Landon Dickerson for a while.
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