The Hokies grabbed their 17th and 18th commitments of the 2003 recruiting season yesterday, when Phoebus (Hampton, VA) athlete DJ Parker and Palm Beach Gardens (FL) linebacker Mike Brown committed to the Hokies.

Parker (6-0, 170, 4.5 forty) played cornerback for Phoebus opposite highly-rated CB Phillip Brown, and cornerback is the position he'll most likely play at VT. Parker, who will not qualify academically, is first bound for prep school at Fork Union, but he is thrilled to be a Hokie verbal and is looking forward to joining Tech after a year at Fork Union.

Parker is rated as a two-star recruit (out of five) by TechSideline.com and Rivals.com. To read DJ's comments about his commitment, see our TSL Pass update.

Mike Brown (6-3, 220, 4.8), a linebacker/defensive end prospect, picked the Hokies over Michigan. Florida was also getting involved late in the game, but Brown has settled on the Hokies and will not visit the Gators.

Palm Beach Gardens Coach Tim Tharp said of Brown, "For one, he just really felt comfortable there on his visit. He felt really comfortable with the coaching staff and the surroundings. Also, Virginia Tech's defense fits his aggressive style of play. Their defense is tailor-made for Mike."

For the complete story on Brown's commitment, see our TSL Pass update.

Parker and Brown are VT's 17th and 18th commitments for 2003, respectively. Three of those commitments -- Tripp Carroll, Corey Gordon, and James Griffin -- are joining the Hokies this January.

To see the complete list of VT verbals, click here.