While the focus is on the close of the 2023 high school recruiting cycle and the transfer portal, the 2024 recruiting cycle is starting to heat up with three-star DB Brody Barnhardt out of Charlotte, NC releasing his top 3 recently.
I want to SINCERELY THANK every coach that has recruited me and found something special in me, you have no idea how much that has meant! It’s time for me narrow my recruitment, I’m looking forward to a commitment this spring! @WVUfootball @PackFootball @HokiesFB @PDS_ChargersFB pic.twitter.com/RzIfOnsziH
— Brody Barnhardt (@brodybarnhardt) December 13, 2022
Virginia Tech made the top 3 for Barnhardt along with NC State and West Virginia. Those 3 have already beat out some other good offers to make his cut with Wake Forest, North Carolina, Duke, Vanderbilt, Boston College, East Carolina, and Charlotte being the offers not to make it.
He had this to say about why the Hokies made his top 3.
"Well, one of the criteria that was important to me was to play at a “football school”, somewhere with a great atmosphere and great fans. Obviously, VT fits that description," Barnhardt said. "Second, I really like the campus, and facilities at VT. It was the first college football camp that I ever attended, and I was super impressed and it’s still one of my favorite campuses. Also Coach (Pierson) Prioleau and Coach (Chris) Marve, and Cheetah (Coach Derek Jones) have been great to me. We stay in touch pretty often. I feel like they believe in me and what I can bring to the team."
He had this to say about why NC State made his top 3.
"I have developed a great relationship with coaches at NC State. They have had some really successful years under this coaching staff and have proven themselves to be successful," Barnhardt said. "And State has that blue collar football atmosphere that I really like."
He had this to say about why West Virginia made his top 3.
"Once again, football atmosphere. Morgantown loves their football," Barnhardt said. "And again, relationship. (Safeties) Coach (Dontae) Wright feels like I can play at multiple positions in their defense, he recognizes the strengths in my style of play, and wants to put in a position to help the team win!"
The fact that Barnhardt has received significant interest from several Power 5 programs in the Mid-Atlantic including these 3 shouldn't come as a surprise. As a junior for Providence Day School, Barnhardt was a two-way standout with 102 tackles and 4 interceptions on defense plus 1,105 all-purpose yards and 9 touchdowns on offense. He considers his football IQ, physicality, and speed in terms of being able to play fast as the biggest strengths of his game.
Looking ahead, Barnhardt told us that he is working to set visits to these three schools "sometime between now and the end of January." He added this about his current timeline for making a decision from among these 3 schools.
"No exact timeline, but would like to make a decision this spring. My parents and I need to spend more time at each of these schools and with the coaches," Barnhardt said.
The 2024 recruiting cycle is beginning to heat up with Virginia Tech right in the hunt for talented Charlotte area DB Brody Barnhardt.
