Virginia Tech hosted lots of talented recruits over the weekend including one of the top 2024 recruits in Virginia, OT Fletcher Westphal out of Leesburg's Tuscarora HS, the same one as VT freshman RB Bryce Duke. His visit went quite well as his social media showed and as he shared with us.
Fantastic day at @HokiesFB Spring Practice. Spent some valuable time speaking with @CoachPryVT & @CoachJoeRudolph. Always learning something new around VT!@CoachWheels1 @TuskyFootball @Bryceduke22 pic.twitter.com/35sG5M9oBS
— Fletcher Westphal (@FletcherWestph1) March 19, 2022
"My visit to Virginia Tech was great. I enjoyed seeing the team together running plays and drills at practice. Loved seeing Bryce Duke; my former teammate, looking strong on the field like he’d been there forever. I had some one on one time with Coach (Joe) Rudolph where he went over plays and my film with me which I didn’t expect. I definitely appreciated it," Westphal said.
"At the end, I got valuable time with Coach (Brent) Pry and Rudolph together. They definitely want to get to know me, what I know about football, and what I hope to do after football. I didn’t expect the extra time with the coaches. It was a nice surprise."
Westphal also expanded on what stood out to him the most during his visit.
"My time in Coach Pry’s office talking with he and Coach Rudolph really stood out because I didn’t expect it. It was really easy to talk to them and share stories about when I was an OT for Bryce Duke and how lucky I feel to have great teammates and high school coaches," Westphal said.
The time with Tech head coach Brent Pry and OL coach Joe Rudolph was a common thing in almost everything Westphal mentioned including what he said was unique about this visit for him.
"The one-on-one time in Coach Pry’s office was special. When we arrived there were Hokie athletes everywhere all arriving. I didn’t know there was lacrosse, football, and softball all happening the same day. It was nice to see this activity on campus," Westphal said.
So what was the message for Fletcher Westphal during his time with Pry and Rudolph?
"They wanted me to know I am a priority recruit. They can see me as a Hokie. My job is to keep developing as a player," Westphal said.
Westphal also has been able to build a strong relationship with Joe Rudolph early on in his recruitment with Westphal having this to say about it.
"I am very happy how my relationship with Coach Rudolph is developing. When I arrived at VT, he pulled me into the OL room showed me tape and then pulled up my film on the big screen which I didn’t expect. He was happy with what he saw but also gave me tips. He’s got a great history of creating top OL players. I like his coaching style," Westphal said.
He's also building a strong relationship with Brent Pry as he shared with us.
"My relationship with Coach Pry is evolving. He is very nice and straightforward. I am looking forward to building a stronger relationship with him," Westphal said.
Looking ahead, Westphal does have plans to take visits to North Carolina and Virginia this spring while also spending time at different summer camps and make some visits to a couple SEC schools later this year. Of course, a trip back to Tech definitely seems very likely for Westphal who has already been on campus twice since the arrival of the new staff.
So how did this visit impact his recruitment and where Virginia Tech stands in it?
"I’m still early in my recruitment, but I like what I see at VT. I am really excited to see how the season pulls through with the new staff over the next year or so," Westphal said.
It may be early in his recruitment, but Virginia Tech is off to a strong start for Fletcher Westphal, one of the most talented 2024 recruits in Virginia.
