Photo Credit: Jake Roth
Here's the latest Virginia Tech football recruiting notes including an update on a top cornerback target plus a new JUCO target and a potential kicker target for the Hokies.
3* CB Ryan Barnes
Three-star CB Ryan Barnes told us that Virginia Tech is among "10-15 schools" that are continuing to be in the group recruiting him the hardest with Barnes telling us that the Hokies are in contact with him "every other day." That amount of contact shows how Barnes remains one of VT's top uncommitted cornerback targets along with D.J. Harvey and Tyrell Raby.
Area recruiter/WRs coach Jafar Williams and CBs coach Ryan Smith are leading the charge with Barnes as he continues to build his relationship with both coaches. Smith, in particular, appears to be taking on a larger role with Barnes telling us that he is in "constant communication" with him.
Looking ahead, Barnes told us that he currently is planning to make his decision "anytime before the decision" though the current state of affairs keeps everything up in the air. When visits are allowed to happen again, it will be critical for the Hokies to get Barnes on campus especially after he was planning on visiting this spring prior to the pandemic.
Virginia Tech remains in the fight for Ryan Barnes as his recruitment remains fairly wide open with tons of suitors.
JUCO LB Jimmori Robinson
Jimmori Robinson is starting to emerge as one of the best defensive JUCO recruits in the 2021 class with an offer list that already includes Auburn, Syracuse, Louisiana, UTSA, and others. However, that list may grow soon for the Alexandria, VA native.
Robinson told us that the Hokies have been showing a "good amount" of interest over the past few days with Robinson hoping to get to know more of the staff in the coming days. In the meantime, assistant Zach Sparber has led the charge with the two building a "very good" relationship already despite the short duration that the two have been in contact.
The Hokies aren't alone among schools looking at Robinson with North Carolina, Washington State, Old Dominion, and Akron showing interest in addition to his current offer list. That shouldn't be a surprise given what he did this past season with Robinson telling us that he had a share in at least 21 tackles for loss this past season at Dodge City CC, which doesn't have great stat tracking resources.
Robinson has very intriguing size at 6'6'' and 248 pounds according to 247 Sports. He has the potential to be a versatile blitzer who the Hokies could use as a standing rusher with the ability to work at DE or OLB. Currently, the Hokies are recruiting him as more of an OLB with others mixed on recruiting him at OLB, DE, or a hybrid of those two spots.
Tech has turned to the JUCO ranks fairly consistently under Justin Fuente, and they may do so again this cycle with Robinson as a name to keep an eye on.
K Caden Costa
With Brian Johnson and John Parker Romo both entering their senior seasons, Virginia Tech is starting to scour the 2021 kicker market to find some potential competitors for those availabilities. One of the recruits that the Hokies have reached out to is kicker Caden Costa out of Louisiana.
So far, Costa has received offers from Army, Air Force and Louisiana, but that list, or at least the PWO options, may be poised to continue to grow soon.
Costa told us that he is in "great" contact with VT TEs coach/special teams coordinator James Shibest and assistant Will Burnham. LSU, Arkansas, Colorado, Rutgers, and Memphis are some of the other schools that have also been in contact with Costa in recent days and weeks.
LSU definitely feels like the biggest potential threat whether they offer a PWO or scholarship given their in-state presence and their immense recent success under Ed Orgeron. Of course, all of that is speculation until teams start making PWO or full ride scholarships.
Expect the Hokies to try to bring in a kicker or two this cycle as they prepare for a competition in 2021 to replace their outgoing specialists.
