Virginia Tech has continued to extend new offers throughout the spring evaluation period including one to 2025 LB Julian Mendez out of Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Extremely blessed to receive an offer from Virginia Tech !!!! All glory to God 👏 ! #agtg #blessed @TheCribSouthFLA @CoachRack75 @chop_ortega @CoachMacho @DaviBelfort pic.twitter.com/U2ui23pWsr
— Julian Mendez (@showout00) May 22, 2023
He had this to say about his reaction to receiving a Virginia Tech offer.
"I was honored and definitely excited because of the fact my QB1 teammate Davi Belfort is committed to VT," Mendez said.
He received the offer during a conversation with offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen adding this on how that conversation was as a whole.
"It was great. Coach Bowen was talking to me about how they don't have a rusher or nickel player but they have a hybrid player and that I would be a perfect fit in there 4-3 lineup," Mendez said.
That reference to a "hybrid" player seems to suggest that the Hokies likely project Mendez as a sam LB given the coverage responsibilities of that LB position and how Tech has moved former DBs like Keonta Jenkins to that position.
Mendez currently has a solid offer list that includes the following schools.
- ACC: Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh
- Big 10: Minnesota
- Big 12: West Virginia
- SEC: Missouri
- AAC: Temple
- MAC: Akron, Bowling Green, Western Michigan
- Sun Belt: Arkansas State
- FBS Independent: Massachusetts
This interest shouldn't come as a surprise given what Mendez did as a sophomore earning All-State Second Team honors while putting up double-digit sacks as he told us.
Looking ahead, Mendez told us that he doesn't have any visit dates set at the moment though he expects to take a tour of several schools with some of his teammates. Virginia Tech and Georgia are among the schools on the schedule with Mendez saying that a stop in Blacksburg may come around mid-June.
So how does this offer impact his recruitment and where Virginia Tech stands in it?
"It's definitely up there. All my friends have much interest in VT so maybe VT might get some Western High school football players in the future," Mendez said.
It may be over 1.5 years till Early Signing Day for the 2025 class, but the Hokies are in a great spot very early on for LB Julian Mendez.
