Recruiting notes out of Virginia Beach
VIRGINIA BEACH -- An elite group of football prospects gathered at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex on Sunday and Rivals.com was on hand to get the latest news. Take a look at what some of the best in Virginia had to say about the teams recruiting them and what schools they might visit once the recruiting dead period is over.
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CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
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The third ranked offensive tackle in the nation, Rice has plenty of options to choose from. The dead period has made it difficult for him to build strong relationships and get a good feel for the college campuses but he has done what he could up to this point. The Crimson Tide have made a big push for Rice but North Carolina and Virginia are still very close to the top of his list. Look for Rice to hit the road hard once the dead period is over and take visits to schools like Alabama, North Carolina, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Virginia, Miami, and many others that he's involved with.
One of North Carolina's earliest commitments in this recruiting class, Holloway has immediate impact potential. He's got the size, instincts, and technique that should help him shut down opposing receivers and make that Tar Heels secondary much more imposing. Even though Holloway is a firm commitment to North Carolina other teams haven’t stopped reaching out. He has still heard from schools like Virginia Tech, Florida State, N.C. State, and Maryland.
Pettaway has offers from almost every school in the country and he's used the extended dead period to build some strong relationships with college coaches and many of the teams that he's very interested in. Virtual visits have helped him get a better understanding about what life is like at some schools but in-person visits are needed before he can really take the next step in his recruitment. Keep an eye on Oregon, Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Michigan, Florida, and some others as his recruitment moves forward.
One of the more heavily recruited prospects on the East Coast, Greene has been building a lot of relationships and doing virtual visits since he hasn’t ben able to go see the schools he is most interested in. Virginia Tech and Virginia are the only two schools Green has been to but that list will expand rapidly once the dead period is over. Some of the teams doing the best with him so far are Clemson, North Carolina, Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Penn State. During his upcoming spring break Greene is going to load up on virtual visits. He already has some locked in with Miami, North Carolina, and Notre Dame. In the next few weeks Green plans on cutting down his long list of offers to around 15 or 16 schools. As a kid, Greene liked watching LSU, Clemson, and Florida.
Bridges is a prospect that surely would've blown up with a national offer sheet much earlier in the process had the extended dead period not shut down college visits and the camp circuit. At this point teams like Pittsburgh, Penn State, Maryland, Rutgers, Virginia, Cincinnati, and others have done a very good job building relationships with him but Bridges still has a lot more work to do to figure out which teams he really likes. Standing at 6-foot-2, 190-pounds, Bridges has the measurables and speed that college coaches look for in the secondary.
Moyston is a very intriguing prospect that brings elite athleticism to the defensive side of the ball. He has very impressive physical measurables, a big frame that has lots of room to fill out, and he seems to play with a natural aggressiveness that makes life very hard on the opposition. Moyston is still learning about the game and how to play with proper technique but there's a lot of potential for him down the road. Offers have rolled it at a steady pace for him but certain teams have already begun to stand out. Keep an eye on Arizona State and Virginia Tech but offers from some other schools are sure to roll in and that could change the dynamic.
Johnson just began picking up offers a couple weeks ago but there are plenty more that are coming. At 6-foot-4, 215-pounds, a lot of schools will be excited about his potential as a big receiver or flex tight end. Pittsburgh, Maryland, and Virginia have offered already but more are very interested in this 2023 prospect.
Just a 2024 prospect, Brown has already emerged as a national recruit. He is looking forward to doing his research, taking his visits, and building relationships with college coaches around the country. Brown was hesitant to mention any schools that stand out early in the process but the offer from Texas A&M surprised him. He does have some good relationships at Virginia and he grew up watching teams like USC, Alabama, and Clemson.
Adams’ recruitment started off with a bang and he’s on track to be one of the more heavily recruited receivers in the nation. Just a 2024 prospect, his offer sheet already includes teams like Florida State, North Carolina, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Virginia, and Virginia Tech. Adams made his name on the longer-then-normal camp circuit during this extended dead period by performing very well at a variety of events. As a big target on the outside with impressive quickness and very reliable hands, Adams will surely pick up any more offers as his recruitment continues to develop.
Thomas is a very intriguing prospect for such a young player. He has a huge frame, plenty of natural athleticism, and he plays with an aggressive attitude that college coaches will love. He already sports an impressive offer sheet featuring Ole Miss, Tennessee, Maryland, N.C. State, Virginia Tech, and Mississippi State but many more teams will jump into the picture as his career rolls on.