Fact or Fiction: Clemson OL recruiting, Virginia Tech WRs, West Virginia
Rivals national recruiting analyst Adam Friedman, Paul Strewlow of TigerIllustrated.com, Tim Sullivan of HokieHaven.com and Keenan Cummings of WVSports.com tackle three topics and determine where they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
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1. Clemson fans should be worried about offensive line recruiting.
Friedman's take: FACT. Clemson is going to sign talented prospects but it's not inspiring to see the offensive line targets they haven't closed on. Fletcher Westphal committed to Florida on Monday. William Satterwhite committed to Tennessee last week. Alabama looks like the favorite for Casey Poe's upcoming announcement and Clemson is trailing for Jameson Riggs. This isn't encouraging but, historically, Clemson wasn't known for signing top-ranked offensive linemen. They've developed low four-star and three-star offensive line prospects for years and turned them into reliable contributors. Missing on these highly ranked recruits in an area of need like the offensive line can sting for years.
Strelow's take: FICTION. Disappointed? Frustrated? Sure. Those are all logical reactions to Clemson missing out on a pair of targets this past week, and having all three offered in-state options fall for its rival earlier in the cycle. The Tigers have a good one in four-star Ronan O'Connell, but it's reasonable to have hoped for more at this juncture.
Far be it from us to tell customers how they should think, full disclosure. But it's not as if Clemson fans haven't seen this before. And then the Tigers either score a big name late, or they work around the shortfall. Offensive lines don't live or die with one recruiting cycle, and Clemson had some banner triumphs the previous two classes.
You can justifiably argue they need to win more battles to take the next step or get where they want the position to go. But every outcome appears magnified and a referendum when you keep such a small board as Clemson, and precedent cautions us against overreacting to a string of defeats.
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2. Virginia Tech will go 3-for-3 with WR targets Chanz Wiggins, Keylen Adams and Mekhai White.
Friedman's take: FACT. Brent Pry and his staff are on a nice recruiting run and more good news appears to be on the way. Four-star receiver Chanz Wiggins announced his commitment to the Hokies this past Thursday, becoming the first receiver to join Virginia Tech's 2024 recruiting class. Four-star receiver Keylen Adams is scheduled to announce his commitment on Thursday and Virginia Tech is the leader in his recruitment. The Hokies are also in good position with four-star Mekhai White. All three of these four-star in-state receivers are likely to end up in Blacksburg, which should be a really encouraging sign for Virginia Tech fans longing for the days of Frank Beamer and Mike Vick.
Sullivan's take: FACT. Earlier in the 2024 cycle, Wiggins seemed the least likely of the three to end up a Hokie, and while that didn’t change overnight, the fact that he’s now in the fold gives the Hokies the chance to focus on the two guys they’ve put in plenty of groundwork with. The main question from a VT perspective might be whether three similarly-sized receivers (and no slot or tight end) fit into the class, but the Hokies should feel good about their chances to finish the trio if they continue to push.
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3. West Virginia should be worried about holding on to Jason Cross Jr.
Friedman's take: FICTION. West Virginia continues to recruit its current commits and the Mountaineers should probably keep a close eye on Jason Cross Jr. The talented safety prospect is locked in with West Virginia but Syracuse remains in contact. That could be a troubling sign for this West Virginia recruiting class if postseason coaching changes were to occur. If there aren't major coaching changes after the season, Cross will likely sign with West Virginia so there isn't much to worry about right now.
Cummings's take: FICTION. There’s always worry in recruiting but Cross didn’t rush into his decision and is very happy with his choice to commit to the Mountaineers. He developed a strong relationship with lead recruiter Dontae Wright and felt like a priority of the coaching staff. The fit on the field is a good one as Cross is a versatile safety that can fill any of the three roles in the defense. Cross should remain in the fold barring any massive changes.