2005 Recruiting Roundupby Chris Horne, 2/3/05
Editor's Note: See the accompanying article The 2005 Recruiting Class, By the Numbers. Led by an outstanding in-state haul where they landed four of the state’s top 7 prospects, Virginia Tech enjoyed what is considered to be one of, if not the best, classes ever. Tech’s 2005 class is rated #10 by Tom Lemming of ESPN.com, #15 by Rivals.com and #18 by Scout.com. The Hokies landed one 5-star, four 4-star, 14 3-star and five 2-star recruits. The in-state group is headlined by Victor “Macho” Harris. Harris, who is ranked as the #1 prospect in the state, is a Techsideline.com and Rivals.com 5-star prospect. Though he was an excellent tailback in high school, his likely position for the Hokies will be cornerback. Don’t be surprised if he sees action on both sides of the ball further down the road. In addition to Harris, Tech landed one of the most productive tailbacks in Virginia high school football history in 5-8, 210-pound Elan Lewis. The Hokies also landed linebacker Deveon Simmons, who is a devastating hitter out of Landstown, and Oscar Smith quarterback Greg Boone. Boone is considered an excellent quarterback prospect who has the versatility and athleticism to play and be very effective at several other positions. In total, Virginia Tech landed 13 in-state recruits, including 10 of the Techsidline.com Top 20 prospects and five of the top 10. This is just outstanding quality in a deep and talented in-state class. Virginia Tech did a very good job filling several need areas. Quarterback, defensive line, offensive line, defensive back and running back were all key positions of need. Virginia Tech landed two outstanding dual-threat quarterbacks in Boone and 4-star talent Ike Whitaker. Joining those talented quarterbacks in the backfield is tough, bruising fullback Kenneth Jefferson and the aforementioned Elan Lewis. There is a lot of size along the offensive line, as Tech landed 6-7, 310-pound Eric Davis, 6-6, 255-pound Richard Graham, 6-4, 310-pound Antonio North, 6-4 300-pound Robert Norris and 6-4, 285-pound Brandon Holland. 6-6, 265-pound Ed Wang could be an outstanding future offensive lineman or he could be an athletic and versatile tight end as well (his first shot at VT will be at tight end). There are quite a few defensive line standouts, including Hivera Green, Sergio Render and Cordarrow Thompson for defensive tackle and Steven Friday and William Wall for defensive end. Green and Wall bring a lot of versatility to the defensive line, as they could possibly line up anywhere on the line because of their athleticism and strength. Tech landed another strong defensive backs group, led by Harris. Stephan Virgil and Dorian Porch are versatile athletes that project initially as cornerbacks. The speedy Jahre Cheeseman could play cornerback as well. Cameron Martin is a heady, instinctive safety with a great work ethic. Academically, this class is very good. Most expect to qualify, with only a few players seriously facing a year at prep school before they can get to Virginia Tech. In this class, all of the mentioned needs were addressed with some very talented prospects. In some cases, they were addressed with some of the top recruits in the country at their respective positions. And Tech’s class is not only talented, it is deep. Add this class to the past two and you have a very talented and young team with quite a bit of depth.
Virginia Tech thought it had outstanding South View (Hope Mills, NC) tight end Jonathan Hannah in the fold until Wednesday morning, when he signed with South Carolina. He would have provided even more versatility to the offense as an excellent all-around tight end recruit. Now, it looks like there is a good chance that Ed Wang stays at tight end…which is certainly not a bad thing. Other notables Virginia Tech missed out on include…
Here's the rundown on the 2005 recruiting class, in alphabetical order.
As a quarterback, first-team all-state performer Greg Boone displays a strong arm and good mobility to go along with his ideal size. He led his team to an undefeated 2004 season, throwing for 1,285 yards, rushing for 949 yards and accounting for 35 touchdowns while missing two games due to injury. Boone, who played safety on defense, is also considered an excellent “athlete” prospect. Though quarterback is the position where he will start his college career, he has the versatility to end up at a number of different positions. If quarterback doesn’t work out, Boone could end up as a tight end, linebacker or defensive end. His versatility, playmaking ability and athleticism were major factors as to why he was a heavily recruited prospect. Of course, his quarterback potential is excellent as well.
Bowden finished the 2004 season with a 44-yard per punt gross average, a 37-yard net average, kicked 15 punts inside the 20-yard line and booted a long punt of 58 yards. Among the many accolades he earned for his senior season performance are first-team all-state and first-team Washington Post All-Metro honors. Virginia Tech was the team that showed the most consistent interest throughout Bowden’s recruitment. The talented punter did receive interest from Penn State, Maryland, Mississippi and Southern Cal as well.
Another versatile talent with a lot of speed, Jahre Cheeseman played tailback and cornerback for Eastern in 2004. He expects to play one of those two positions on the next level. "Early on, I think I'll return punts and kicks," Cheeseman said. "After that, I'm not sure if I'll be on offense or defense. It's up in the air right now. If I play offense, I think I'll probably play running back. If it's defense, I'd play cornerback." Comparable to Mike Imoh in terms of quickness and running style, Cheeseman also possesses excellent speed. He has been timed at 4.37 in the 40-yard dash. Athletic, he possesses a 32-inch vertical. As a junior, Cheeseman rushed for 1,450 yards and 20 touchdowns and caught 14 passes for 129 yards and one score in helping Eastern to a state championship. He estimated that he rushed for close to 1,000 yards in 2004 and made several interceptions.
Davis is considered a “sleeper” prospect. He is an enormous “sleeper” prospect. Tech showed interested in Davis last May and followed up towards the end of his senior season. In December, the Tech coaches liked enough of what they saw in senior film to officially offer Davis, who projects as an offensive tackle on the next level. Davis has gained over 100 pounds since his freshman year, including 30 from the beginning of his junior year to the beginning of his senior year. He improved his footwork for his senior year. His size and improved footwork serve as a great starting point for Davis’ college career. "Eric's just got a lot of upside to him,” West Springfield head coach Bill Renner said. “He's not your typical lineman in high school. He's only 17 and he's 6-7 1/2, 300-pounds. If you saw him, you'd think he was 250-pounds. And he's light on his feet. He's not a heavy-footed kid." The amount of work Davis put in throughout his high school career shows that his work ethic is excellent and should help him on the next level.
Friday is one of those players whose motor never stops. Intense and aggressive on the gridiron, Friday has racked up 34 sacks and 48 tackles-for-loss over the past two seasons. He has had 17 sacks each of the past two seasons while missing the first two games of his senior year due to injury. If Friday had more weight on him right now, he would be a more highly rated prospect. Once he adds bulk to his long frame, expect him to really produce on the next level. “Steven Friday is a big-time prospect, and the only thing he lacks is size,” Phoebus head coach Bill Dee said. “He’s tall but he doesn’t have much weight on him right now. He’s about 6-5, 215 pounds, but he runs really well and his motor is always on. Once he gets to college, I think he has the ability to put on a lot of weight.” In high school, Friday played some linebacker in addition to defensive end. He projects as a defensive end for Virginia Tech but was being recruited to play linebacker by some schools.
Also considered a “sleeper” prospect, Graham has a great frame and good athleticism as well. He played tight end and defensive end for St. Christopher’s this past season, helping them to a league championship. Primarily a blocker on offense, he did catch 4 passes for 52 yards on the season – St. Christopher’s threw the ball only 40 times on the year. Defensively, he tallied 52 tackles including 8 tackles-for-loss, 3 sacks and one fumble recovery. Virginia Tech recruited Graham as an offensive tackle. St. Christopher’s head coach Paul Padalino feels that his player has a lot of potential to play the tackle position. “The thing about Richard is that he’s a big, athletic kid,” Padalino explained. “He’s 6-7, 250-pounds, he moves well and plays basketball. I think they see a kid who has the potential to get bigger and stronger and continue to be athletic. I think he’ll move inside to the offensive line on the next level. I think they project him as a tackle.” Like Eric Davis, Graham possesses and excellent work ethic and will no doubt do what it takes to improve on the next level. An outstanding student, Graham chose Tech over Princeton and Harvard.
An all-state performer on the defensive line, Green has the athleticism and versatility to move around the defensive line at Virginia Tech. With his size, he’ll probably play more tackle than end, but he could play end on occasion. Conway head coach Chuck Jordan believes Green could excel on offense as well, but defensive line is where Tech recruited him to play. "I think Hivera has got a lot of potential and has a lot of possibilities," Jordan said. "Because of his size and quickness, he could play anywhere on the defensive line and he could move to offense. I think Virginia Tech wants him on the defensive line." Green is a major recruit for Tech because of his versatility. As a defensive lineman, he has the ability to play tackle or end in different situations.
There’s not much more you can say about Harris that hasn’t been said before. He is an outstanding talent on either side of the ball. Harris carried his team’s offense in 2004, rushing for 2,345 yards and 33 total touchdowns. For his career, Harris compiled 5,320 yards on 506 carries and 65 rushing touchdowns. He has 7 career touchdown receptions and 6 career touchdown returns. Defensively, Harris had 22 tackles with 1 sack, 3 interceptions and 3 pass break-ups 2004. Though he switched between safety and cornerback in high school, Harris figures to play cornerback and return punts and kicks initially at Virginia Tech. He could switch to offense to play running back or wide receiver if necessary. Harris has the potential be a two-way player further down the road at Tech. More impressive than his talent is his personality. Harris is always a team-first player. “That’s probably impressed me more than anything,” Highland Spring head coach Scott Burton said. “He’s not a selfish player at all. He always talks about things in the context of the team and that doesn’t always happen with players of his talent.”
Holland signed with Tech in February of 2004 but needed to prep after falling short of qualifying academically. The experience at Hargrave has helped Holland academically and physically. He earned one of the starting spots at offensive guard and performed well. Holland displays good size, long arms and good mobility. He played defensive end and tight end for Northside High School in Roanoke, Virginia. “I’ve progressed real good,” Holland said, referring to his Hargrave experience. “When I first came here and started playing guard I wasn’t really used to it. I played defensive end at Northside. I think I’ve improved a whole lot physically and mentality-wise.”
After an outstanding senior season, Jefferson earned Super 44 Defensive Player of the Year honors and first-team All-Metro honors at linebacker by the Washington Post. Jefferson also earned first-team all-state on defense and the Charles Mann Good Samaritan Defensive Player-of-the-Year Award. He finished the 2004 season with 128 tackles and 9 sacks on defense and was an outstanding blocker at fullback on offense. Jefferson, who projects as a fullback for Virginia Tech, reminds DeMatha head coach Bill McGregor of a past player he sent to the Hokies. “Years ago, we had a kid by the name of Phil Bryant that went to Virginia Tech,” McGregor said. “Kenny’s that type of kid. He’s hard-nosed. He does great work but he’s not glamorous. On defense, he never came off the field for us and he played very well sideline-to-sideline.” According to McGregor, Virginia Tech loves Jefferson’s blocking ability and feel he could have played for them this past season. “Coach Hite told me that, after he showed Coach Beamer the film on Kenny, Coach Beamer said he could be on the two-deep right now,” McGregor said last spring.
One of the most productive running backs in the history of Virginia high school football, Lewis ranks 4th on the Virginia high school league all-time rushing list with 7,156 career rushing yards. He kept up production in 2004, finishing with 2,323 yards and 35 touchdowns. Lewis is a back that accelerates very fast, has terrific vision and shows solid quickness. He is a very natural runner. He is a tough back to bring down and wears on a defense as the game progresses. While he doesn’t have blazing top speed, he is fast and can break a big play from time-to-time. Primarily, however, he is a tough 25-30 carry-a-game tailback that wears down opposing defenses. Lewis earned a spot on the Army All-American Bowl roster and earned first-team all-state honors for the second consecutive year.
Injuries hurt Cam’s production in 2004, but, when healthy, he is a tough safety prospect with excellent anticipation. A college assistant told GW-Danville head coach Dan Newell that Cam is a “ferocious” hitter. Martin plays the run and the pass equally well. As a junior, Martin was named Western Valley District Defensive Player of the Year. He also earned all-district and all-region honors for his junior year performance. Martin plays quarterback on offense, which has helped his performance on defense. He hopes to be able to contribute as a true freshman but may have to redshirt – which he is fine with as well. “I’m not sure…I hope so,” Martin said. “I mean, I feel it would be an advantage for me to redshirt so I can get stronger and learn the system, but I also think I’m ready to play right now. I’m going up there looking to be able to play early, but it’s really up to the coaches.”
Norris is a big, strong player who currently can bench press 335 pounds 5 times. Coach Bill McGregor spoke about his player’s senior season. “I think he had a great senior year,” DeMatha head coach Bill McGregor said. “He’s a big kid who I think could be a good offensive guard for them in the future. If anything, I think they may try and slim him down a bit. He’s big and strong right now but may be better if he trimmed down some.”
North earned first-team all-state and Washington Post first-team All-Metro honors for his senior year performance. Athletic for his size, North projects as an offensive guard and good potential for that position. A humble player, he is looking forward to working hard to develop his potential at Virginia Tech. "Everybody says I'm going to be really good," North said. "But I'm just going to do the best I can. I'm not going to hype myself up. I'm really looking forward to getting to Tech and working with Coach Gentry. Everybody says how great it is to work with him and that you change a lot in just a few months because of him."
Timed at 4.4 in the 40-yard dash during the Nike camp in Georgia, Porch has great speed and is very athletic. He has solid size to go along with his speed and athleticism and projects as a cornerback on the next level. Like Cameron Martin, Dorian played quarterback for his high school and feels that doing so helps him on defense. With his playmaking skills, Porch could play wide receiver but projects initially as a cornerback. He led his team to an 8-3 record in 2004 and a playoff appearance – it was Gordon Central’s second playoff appearance in 15 years. “I felt like I played pretty good,” Porch said. “Most of the season, guys have fed off of me out there. I think I did pretty well. “I played a lot of defense. I played both cornerback and safety. Toward the end of the season I played safety a lot. I liked it. It’s more fun because I can go up and make tackles or I can cover.”
One of the reasons Render chose Virginia Tech was because he will get a shot to play defensive tackle first. He has good ability on either side of the ball. Render, who combines good size with quick feet, put in an excellent performance in a Georgia all-star game. Another very solid pick-up on for the defensive line who has the ability to play offensive line further down the road if defense doesn’t work out.
Simmons may be one of the best hitters in the state of Virginia in quite some time. A tremendous playmaker, he has anchored the Landstown defense for the past two seasons. In 2004, he racked up 169 total tackles including 68 assists, 31 tackles-for-loss and 9 sacks. He earned Beach District Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season and was named Eastern Region Defensive Player of the Year in 2004. He was a first-team all-state performer for his junior and senior seasons. Simmons has great instincts and is excellent sideline-to-sideline. He will be a tremendous addition to an already talented linebacker group including Xavier Adibi, Vince Hall and others.
Taylor averaged about 10 tackles per game in 2004. He is not a flashy player, but he is a good one that plays within the system. Has good speed to go along with his 6-2, 225-pound frame. Taylor played well as a running back this year too, but defense is where he likely will end up. He earned first-team all-state honors at linebacker in 2004. “He’s made a lot of strides,” Kellam Head Coach Chris DeWitt said of his star player. “He could try to do too much because he is so special, but really I think what makes Demetrius a great football player is that he doesn’t get outside of what we want him to do. He doesn’t try to do too much. If he starts trying to do too much, then we’re not very good. He is a very good player at just doing what he’s told to do.” Taylor is a dedicated worker on and off the field and a person with great character. “I don’t think Virginia Tech knows how special Demetrius is,” DeWitt said. “I really think when you look at Demetrius and you can talk for hours about what he can do on the football field, but at the same time you can take the football away from him and you can talk about what a wonderful kid he is away from football. He walks around the halls and he’s respected by the faculty, the administration and the other students. He’s a kid that does unbelievable things when no one’s watching. That’s the kind of kid Demetrius is. I’ve got a lot of respect for the kid.”
One of the underrated players in preseason lists, Thompson enjoyed an outstanding senior season. The Washington Post All-Metro Defensive Player of the Year, Thompson racked up 102 tackles including 43 tackles-for-loss and nine sacks in 13 games (not including what he did in the state championship). “Many feel that Cordarrow is the most dominant defensive player in the state,” North Stafford head coach Eric Cooke said. “As for a reason why he didn’t receive the attention early on, I can’t think of anything except that it’s tough for a defensive lineman to be showcased. The two offensive linemen kind of got in a groove and were receiving a lot of attention. I'm honestly not sure why Cordarrow didn't receive the same. He's by far a dominant defender.” Thompson's enormous size along with strength and quickness will be a great addition to the Tech defensive line. He projects as a defensive tackle all the way and should be a very effective player for the Hokies.
Virgil played safety in high school but it looks like he will play cornerback for Virginia Tech . Virginia Tech likes his versatility and coverage skills. He also has good speed, as he was timed at 4.43 in the 40-yard dash during UNC’s summer camp last year. “They said I could either play cornerback or strong safety,” Virgil said. “They like how I come up and tackle and how I can cover receivers. They like how I can give help as a safety.” This season, Virgil finished with 98 tackles with 2 sacks and made 4 interceptions. He was an important part of a defense that helped Rocky Mount to an undefeated regular season and an appearance in the 4A state semifinals. Virgil is looking forward to playing some defense for Virginia Tech. “They play a smash-mouth brand of football,” Virgil said. “That’s my style. I don’t do a lot of talking on the field, but I talk with my pads. That’s how they play.”
Wall really improved his stock after heading to Hargrave Military Academy. A terrific athlete in high school, he really learned how to play along the defensive line during his time at Hargrave. “In high school I was just playing off of me being bigger than everybody else,” Wall said. “Coach Prunty and them have taught me a whole lot, so now I know I’m getting to be a solid football player.” Hargrave head coach Robert Prunty had rave reviews for Tech’s talented prospect. Wall has the ability to play defensive end or defensive tackle and may be moved around the line. “William Wall’s going to be special,” Prunty said. “He plays hard. He’s a tough, hard-nosed defensive end. Before it’s all over with, I think William Wall will be a big-time player. This year helped William more than anything. The more he plays the better he’s going to get. Virginia Tech is gonna love having him there.”
Wang was named Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Virginia for 2004. Wang shows excellent athleticism and agility for his size. While he is a very good tight end recruit with good receiving ability and excellent size and athleticism, he could also grow into an offensive lineman. Given how athletic he is, he could be very effective as a tight end or if he grows into an offensive lineman. This season, Wang earned all-district and all-region honors. As a tight end, he caught 29 passes for 411 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, he made 28 solo tackles, 16 assists and three sacks.
Wheeler played fullback for Coach Prunty this season and performed well. He runs well for his size and could end up as a tight end for Virginia Tech. Coming out of Blacksburg High School, Wheeler was a dual-sport athlete that excelled in football and basketball. He is listed as the #24 prep school player in the country by Rivals.com. In addition, Wheeler has an excellent personality and just looks forward to contributing for Virginia Tech.
One of Virginia Tech’s biggest needs was for a dual-threat quarterback, and the Hokies scored one of the top ones in November when Whitaker verbally committed to Coach Beamer and company (of course, Tech also went on to land Greg Boone, who is an excellent player in his own right). Whitaker enjoyed an outstanding senior campaign, leading Northwest to a state championship. Whitaker had 157 completions in 262 attempts, a school-record 2,586 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2004. He added 432 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns. For his career, he passed for over 5,000 yards and 56 touchdowns. A three-year starter, he boasted a career record of 30-6 as a starter. "To me, I'd find it difficult to find a kid that is as sure of a bet to be a star in college as Ike Whitaker," Northwest head coach Randy Trivers said. "I know he's my player, but I coach him and I know him. The things you need to make you successful on the next level are more than talent. Ike has a passionate work ethic. He's made tremendous strides each year that he's been here. He's hungry to learn and he's hungry to be the best. Those are tremendous qualities in a quarterback. I mean, it's hard to match his physical gifts. He's about 6-4, has a great arm and can run around a 4.5 in the 40. But he loves to practice, he loves to lift, he loves to prepare and that's what makes him a great leader. He outworks everybody, and players follow that." Among the many honors earned for his senior year performance, Whitaker was named first-team all-state, Washington Post All-Metro Offensive Player of the Year and earned Art Monk’s Good Samaritan Offensive Player of the Year award.
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