Virginia Tech is one of seven schools still standing in the recruitment of one of the top defensive back prospects in the 2027 class. Four-star safety Gabe Jenkins of Pittsburgh's Imani Christian Academy made his top 7 public recently, and the Hokies are squarely in the conversation alongside Michigan, Penn State, UCLA, Colorado, Pittsburgh, and USC.
The connection between Jenkins and Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin is no coincidence. Jenkins had previously pledged to Franklin while he was at Penn State, making the safety one of Franklin's top 2027 targets in the state. When Franklin was dismissed from Happy Valley, Jenkins stepped back from his commitment and reopened the process entirely — and Franklin, now in Blacksburg, wasted little time re-engaging.
The recruitment figures to be competitive. 247Sports ranks Jenkins as the No. 130 overall prospect in the country, the No. 11 safety in the class, and the No. 5 recruit out of Pennsylvania. Playing his high school ball at Imani Christian Academy in Pittsburgh, Jenkins also has a hometown program in the mix, giving Pitt a hometown advantage that the other six schools simply cannot match.
Jenkins has previously announced official visits to Penn State, Virginia Tech, and Colorado on X. One thing to note is that his post announcing the Virginia Tech official visit is no longer visible on his profile — a development worth monitoring as his recruitment continues to take shape.
Penn State remains a factor despite the decommitment, with the Nittany Lions among the schools Jenkins has publicly committed to visiting. Jenkins’ offer list includes his top 7 plus other schools like Florida, Michigan State, Ole Miss, and more.
For Franklin, landing Jenkins would carry real symbolic weight — converting a prospect who had already committed to him once into a Hokie. Franklin has already shown he can flip former Penn State commits to VT, flipping several to the Hokies in the 2026 class within his first two weeks in Blacksburg.
