Seth Greenberg has added another big name to his 2011 recruiting class. Vance (Charlotte, NC) point guard Marquis Rankin called Seth Greenberg and committed on Thursday night, making him the third commitment of the 2011 class.

Rankin is a major pickup for Greenberg.

Rankin is ranked amongst the top 35 players in the country by these three major services. He chose the Hokies over offers from Wake Forest, Clemson, Ohio State, Ole Miss and South Carolina, among many others. He was expected to play in the ACC, though many thought his final destination would be Wake Forest or Clemson.

Rankin is one of the fastest players in the 2011 recruiting class, and perhaps the fastest player in the class. He is a terrific athlete at point guard. He must continue to improve his shooting and finishing ability around the rim.

Rankin joins Florida wing Robert Brown and Virginia power forward C.J. Barksdale as Tech commitments for the 2011 class. Barksdale is ranked #28 nationally by Scout and #31 nationally by PrepStars. Brown is listed as a Top 100 national recruit. As of now, the Hokies are looking to add one more wing and one more post to this class.

Virginia Tech's 2009 football recruiting class ranges from rising true sophomores to r-freshmen to true freshmen. Some have already begun to make their impact on the field, and others are hoping to begin making a name for themselves this spring.

Thanks to depth issues on the defensive side of the ball, Tech's 2009 defensive recruits are getting an earlier opportunity than most of the offensive recruits.

A few select players on the offensive side of the ball will get an opportunity this spring. Quarterback Logan Thomas is tied for second on the depth chart with Ju-Ju Clayton. Whether or not Thomas wins the backup quarterback job, he could find himself on the field helping the team in some sort of a flex tight end role this season.

The Hokies also need interior depth on the offensive line, and David Wang is a player who could help there. Wang already has the strength to contribute, and he'll spend this spring learning technique and adjusting to the speed of the college game. He could have a valuable role in the two-deep this season.

David Wilson contributed as a kickoff returner and #3 tailback last season. With Darren Evans and Ryan Williams returning, Wilson could potentially redshirt this year. However, he is an exceptional athlete who may be difficult to keep off the field.

The other offensive recruits are stuck behind older, more experienced players. Their time will come, but it won't likely be in 2010.

Defense is another story. 2009 recruits are all over the two-deep on the defensive line, at linebacker and in the secondary. Bud Foster and his assistants will be coaching up a number of young players this spring.

James Gayle and J.R. Collins will both have an opportunity to contribute at defensive end this year. They are both getting reps with the second team defense right now. Both players have good size and athletic ability, and their futures look bright at defensive end.

Bud Foster also has a couple of r-freshmen in the two-deep at inside linebacker. Telvion Clark is backing up Bruce Taylor at mike, while Tariq Edwards is behind Lyndell Gibson at backer. Clark has the physical ability, and in fact could have played special teams last year. Edwards is the son of former Virginia Tech standout wide receiver Bo Campbell.

The first 2009 recruit to be named a starter is true sophomore Jayron Hosley. He returned punts last year and turned in a very impressive performance at cornerback in the Chick-fil-A bowl against Tennessee. He is projected to start at field corner this year for the Hokies.

A couple of other defensive backs will be playing important roles this spring. Antone Exum is listed as the #2 free safety behind Eddie Whitley. Even if he doesn't see much time on defense, Exum is at least expected to contribute heavily on special teams.

James Hopper is backing up Davon Morgan at rover, and though all of the playing time will go to Morgan, Hopper will get quality reps with the #2 defense this spring. Going against the #1 offense every day in practice will make Hopper a better player.

The best days of the 2009 recruiting class lay in the future. However, some will begin making their impact on the football field as early as this spring.