Virginia Tech Football Recruiting Notes 9/6/20

Photo Credit: Jake Roth

Check out the latest Virginia Tech football recruiting notes including updates on three-star DL Javon Nelson and a couple 2022 targets here.

3* DL Javon Nelson

Three-star defensive lineman Javon Nelson released his top 5 yesterday with Virginia Tech making the cut for the Murfreesboro, Tennessee star.

The Hokies were joined by Virginia, N.C. State, Arkansas, and in-state Vanderbilt in an interesting group of schools that would seem to be a good sign for Tech's hopes in some ways.

I reached out to a source in the region who told us that Nelson has been pretty quiet, but it seemed to him for a while that Vanderbilt and Virginia were the top 2 schools for Nelson. Of course, there's plenty of reason to believe that things may have changed given how quiet has been though that at least signals that academics would seem to be a major factor for Nelson.

Nelson is listed by most recruiting services as a defensive end but at 6'3'' and 265 pounds, he would seem to have the size to grow into being a 4-3 defensive tackle as well. Whether Tech sees him as a potential defensive tackle or a defensive end is another question in determining how interested the Hokies really are in him.

2022 3* OT Isaiah Montgomery

The 2022 class is a loaded one for in-state offensive linemen with 757 standout Isaiah Montgomery among those talented recruits along with five-star caliber recruits Gunner Givens and Zach Rice plus three-star interior OL Ryan Nolan.

So far, Tech is off to a good start with Montgomery telling us that the Hokies are standing "high" in his recruitment while also being the schools that is recruiting him the hardest.

This comes as Montgomery received a lot of interest from schools this past week in addition to VT including South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Marshall, Kentucky, Liberty, ECU, Wake Forest, Michigan State, Syracuse, Indiana, Clemson, and more.

Tech is definitely planning on trying to take a large offensive line class in the 2022 cycle with a focus on landing the elite offensive linemen in Virginia including Isaiah Montgomery.

2022 3* DE Popeye Williams

Popeye Williams has received plenty of offers over the past few months, but he already has several schools currently standing out in his recruitment as he shared with us.

"Alabama, Purdue, Penn State, Michigan State, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Wisconsin, and Kentucky are really hitting me up," Williams said.

Williams had this to say about why the Hokies are currently standing out in his recruitment.

"Coach (Bill) Teerlink is a good guy and I like how he’s recruiting me," Williams said.

Williams also told us that Penn State and Michigan State are among the schools that are currently recruiting him the hardest.

One of the unique things about Williams and fellow talented Indiana DE Joe Strickland is the fact that Teerlinck has connections since both of those guys are trained by former Indianapolis Colts great Robert Mathis whom Teerlinck coached previously. That connection could be valuable especially in a state that Tech has rarely recruited previously.

Keep an eye on Williams as the 2022 cycle continues to develop.