Five 2023 Virginia Tech Offensive Targets Set Their Decision Dates

Virginia Tech has been on a roll on the recruiting trail with 5 commitments over the past 5 days while also being heavily favored to land another one tomorrow from three-star ATH Thomas Williams on the Fourth of July.

However, Tech's hot recruiting run has potential to grow a lot bigger as 5 top offensive targets have announced decision dates recently. Here's a chronological rundown through those 5.

4* WR Chris Culliver

Four-star WR Chris Culliver is set to give someone some Fourth of July recruiting fireworks as he announced on Twitter he will commit tomorrow at 5:30pm

Culliver took official visits to North Carolina and Virginia Tech with the Hokies getting the last ones. Schools like Florida State and Ohio State have also been involved in Culliver's recruitment, but this is another VT-UNC battle on the recruiting trail with this one happening in NC instead of VA.

Tech has some intriguing connections with Culliver both via his mother who has connections to Blacksburg along with his high school Maiden in NC where Tech found Caleb Farley while others including North Carolina overlooked the future Hokie star and first round draft pick.

UNC looks like the slight favorite based on some industry analysis though the Hokies definitely seem in play here for the four-star WR standout. This will be an interesting one to watch and would be the biggest recruiting win to date of the Brent Pry era should the Hokies beat out UNC for Culliver.

Update: Culliver committed to North Carolina.

3* RB Durell Robinson

Baltimore powerhouse St Frances standout RB Durell Robinson is down to 3 with the Hokies making the cut ahead of his upcoming decision.

Robinson is down to Virginia Tech, Boston College, and Georgia Tech with Robinson having taken official visits to all three schools starting with a trip to Atlanta and ending with a trip to Blacksburg.

Robinson has been prioritized by both RBs coach Stu Holt and offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen who also is his primary recruiter given that he is in the Washington D.C. metro where Bowen has had loads of success on the recruiting trail. Tech getting the last official visit before his decision also tends to be a positive trend based on statistical evaluations of historic recruiting visits.

This is an important one for Tech to win as well especially given how important it is for Tech to do well in the DMV especially for a guy who is a priority target and since they are battling middling ACC programs out of region for him.

I do feel good about Tech's chances given some of these various factors along with how his visit appeared to go well but still have some more digging to do.

3* RB Peyton Jones

Three-star RB Peyton Jones announced on his Instagram that he will be making his decision this upcoming Saturday, July 9th.

Jones has been extremely quiet about his recruitment, but he has taken an official visit to Virginia Tech on the second weekend of June followed by a trip to Duke on the third weekend of June. Duke, like the Hokies and many others, have gained lots of commitments lately while offensive assistant Zohn Burden has helped them have some success in the 757.

However, I currently very good about Tech's chances for Jones as I've heard good things in regards to Jones and the Hokies previously. Though he did take an official visit to Duke after his trip to Blacksburg, there's definitely plenty of momentum surrounding the Hokies here. I also don't think Tech landing a commitment from Durell Robinson would necessarily change things in regards to Jones should they land Robinson.

Still more digging to do here as well, but I'm feeling good about Tech's chances in a recruitment that they definitely need to win given they are going against a Duke team with a long rebuild ahead for one of the 757's top 2023 recruits.

4* WR Carmelo Taylor

Continuing in the Commonwealth takes up from the beach to the mountains with Roanoke four-star WR Carmelo Taylor releasing his top 5 and setting a commitment date.

Taylor is set to make his decision on July 25th with the Hokies making his top 5 along with Penn State, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Maryland. Taylor took official visits to South Carolina on the second weekend of June, Virginia Tech on the third weekend of June, and Penn State on the fourth weekend of June.

The Hokies have traditionally done very well with recruits within a couple of hours in Blacksburg regardless of who the head coach has been in Blacksburg. Brent Pry and his staff have continued that so far this cycle with commitments from Marcell Baylor and Hannes Hammer, but Taylor is definitely a bigger test given the competition with Penn State and South Carolina.

While WVU and UMD made the cut, this looks like a battle between the three schools who actually hosted the speedy WR from Roanoke's Patrick Henry HS on official visits. Tech definitely is in play here and given the history of success Tech has in their backyard along with how his official visit went well with him getting to be the full focus, I like Tech's chances but far from certain and like others, still have some more digging to do.

3* WR Paul Billups Jr

One of the 757's biggest standouts won't be joining the July crew, but his August decision will be one many are watching with Virginia Tech still in the hunt.

Billups will make his decision on August 24th with his final 3 being Virginia Tech, North Carolina, and Michigan State. Billups has taken official visits to UNC and Michigan State while he did take an unofficial visit to Blacksburg prior to his trip to Chapel Hill.

UNC has been considered the favorite for a little bit, but Tech has been able to keep themselves in the hunt here. Additionally, UNC's class could be getting fuller if they can beat out Tech for Culliver at WR which could change the dynamic while Michigan State also shouldn't be ruled out here.

Given that his commitment is coming in August, all of these schools will have the short July window as an opportunity to get Billups back on campus which will certainly be critical for all of these schools especially Tech who only hosted him on an unofficial. It definitely wouldn't be surprising if due to proximity, he does an unofficial double of VT and UNC though if Michigan State gets him out for a visit during that period, that may make a major statement about the Spartans' hopes here.