Corey Fuller, Jeron Gouveia-Winslow Are Joining The Virginia Tech Football Staff

Photo Credit: Dave Knachel/Virginia Tech Athletics

A source has confirmed to us that a pair of former Hokies, WR Corey Fuller and LB Jeron Gouveia-Winslow, are returing to Blacksburg to join the Virginia Tech football staff.

This comes as Virginia Tech has already seen an influx of former Hokies joining the staff over the past couple years including Justin Hamilton and his rise to defensive coordinator, Darryl Tapp being hired as a defensive line coach, Mark Diethorn leaving Pittsburgh to join fellow Hokie alum John Iezzi in running the football program's recruiting department, and Pierson Prioleau joining as a defensive assistant, among other hires.

Fuller and Gouveia-Winslow seem likely to have a similar role to former Hokies that are currently on staff like Prioleau and Jack Tyler who can't travel to recruit, but still are involved in recruiting and coaching. An announcement on their hirings is expected sometime this week.

Fuller started out his collegiate career as a track athlete at Kansas before transferring and walking on the football team at Virginia Tech. Fuller was impressive as a senior in 2012 with 43 for 815 yards and 6 touchdowns, averaging 19 yards per reception which helped him earn a sixth round selection (171st overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft.

He spent 5 seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints, accumulating 18 receptions for 288 yards and 1 touchdown including 14 for 212 and 1 TD in 2014 for the Lions. Since leaving the NFL, Fuller has spent some time in coaching as he was a grad assistant at Central Michigan for the 2018 season alongside current defensive line coach Darryl Tapp.

Gouveia-Winslow was a whip linebacker for Virginia Tech who played in 40 games, starting 16 of them, during his four-year career (2009-2012) in Blacksburg. Since his playing career ended, Gouveia-Winslow was an assistant at Northern Virginia high school Stone Bridge in 2014, a defensive line assistant at Hawaii in 2015, and has spent the past 4 years at Brevard College (2017-2020) currently holding the positions of assistant head coach, special teams coordinator, and safeties coach.

These are two smart additions that should not only resonate well with fans, but also should send a message regionally about the confidence of former Hokie players in Justin Fuente, especially two players who never played for Fuente and didn't play alongside new defensive coordinator Justin Hamilton.

Additionally, both should be able to provide a small boost of support in recruiting especially in the DMV region with JGW being from Northern Virginia and primarily recruiting there and the 757 for Brevard, in addition to Fuller's Baltimore roots.

7/22 Update

Virginia Tech has officially announced today that Corey Fuller and Jeron Gouveia-Winslow are joining the football staff.

Both Fuller and Gouveia-Winslow will be taking on roles as assistant directors of player personnel which will have their primary focus be on recruiting, but also likely have coaching roles in some capacity.

Justin Fuente had this to say about the hires (per VT's press release).

"We are excited that Corey and Jeron have returned to Blacksburg to serve as assistant directors of player personnel," Justin Fuente said. "They both bring the skills and the talent we needed to add to our recruiting efforts. In addition to their vantage point as former Tech players, they also have a keen understanding of the type of individuals who fit our program and can succeed both academically and athletically at Virginia Tech."