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Jonathan Lewis of Varina High School in Richmond, Virginia, became the 15th and highest-rated player to verbal to Virginia Tech when he announced his commitment to play for the Hokies in an afternoon press conference.

Lewis (pictured at right), stands 6-2, weighs 290, and runs a 4.9 forty. He is a SuperPrep All-American (ranked the #17 defensive lineman in the nation by SuperPrep), the #4-rated player in the state of Virginia by Doug Doughty of the Roanoke Times, and the #10 defensive tackle in the country according to Rivals.com

Lewis has been a Tech lean throughout the entire recruiting process. He picked the Hokies over Virginia, Penn State, Miami, and Florida State.

Lewis was introduced at the press conference and had the following remarks:

"First of all, I want to thank God and my parents for helping me make this decision. It's a big turning point in my life. I want to thank all the college coaches that took the time to recruit me in this process. Basically, I've made my decision, and it's Virginia Tech. I feel comfortable in Blacksburg with the Virginia Tech coaches and playing ball with my brother. "

What was the the recruiting experience like? 

"It was very hard and stressful. The hardest part about it was the flow of calls. There were three and four calls a night." 

What was it that helped him make the decision? 

"There was no doubt it was about the chance to play with my brother." 

How does he feel? 

"Relieved. It's like a ten-pound weight off my head." 

Did early playing time enter into it? 

"Nobody wants to go to a school and sit for two years. The possibility of playing time was part of it. Everybody offered me that, but there were no guarantees, and we'll just have to wait until the fall." 

He said that Kevin did not give him any direct advice on which school to choose. He wanted Jonathan to take all his visits and do what he felt in his heart. 

What about Tech helped him make the decision? "They have a good record, and I definitely want to play for a winning team. Because of my brother being at Tech, I've been able to see everything over the years. I got to meet all the players and coaches, and that was a big factor." 

When the issue of playing time was brought up again, Lewis said, "We'll see how it goes in the fall. I'll have a chance to make the two-deep and maybe start." 

Will he talk to other recruits, and what will he say? "I'll tell them it's just something that is deep down in your heart, and you have to do what your heart says. Take your five visits, and go where your heart says." 

How big of a dream was it? "In elementary school, I used to think about playing college football and earning a scholarship." 

Was it really close in the recruiting process? (Pause) "It came down to the Florida schools (Miami and FSU). I definitely wanted to see them, because they put players in the pros. But Virginia Tech puts players in the pros, too. After my visits, there was no comparison." 

What advice did he get from his brother Kevin? "I need to get physically and mentally ready. There's no comparison between high school and college." Said he has no competitive feelings with Kevin, given that they may compete for playing time. 

Are you a better defensive lineman than Kevin? Laughed. "No, Kevin's 21 and a lot better." 

-- End of press conference --

For info on the recruits left on Tech's recruiting list and the Hokies chance for landing them, see today's Recruiting Update posted on the TechSideline.com web site.

Of Tech's 15 commitments, 13 are from Virginia and 2 from Florida. Find out more about Jonathan Lewis by checking out his recruiting database entry at TechSideline.com.