Virginia Tech continues their pursuit of an in-state Big 12 commit this week.
When Brent Pry took over at Virginia Tech from Justin Fuente, the former Penn State defensive coordinator understood that a key to reviving the Hokies’ program was winning in-state recruiting battles, not just against other schools in Virginia, but also on the national stage.
During his time with James Franklin at Penn State, Pry saw how schools like Ohio State could come into Virginia and compete for top recruits. Now, entering his third year in Blacksburg, Pry has made significant progress in recruiting within the state. For the Class of 2025, 11 of the 15 current commits are from Virginia, reflecting Pry’s success in focusing on local talent.
One notable recruit who eluded Virginia Tech was four-star cornerback Jahmari DeLoatch. DeLoatch visited the Hokies on June 7 but committed to the University of Cincinnati just 10 days later. Despite his commitment to the Bearcats, who are now in the Big 12, Brent Pry remains determined in his pursuit of the Chesapeake native.
Virginia Tech continues chase of four-star Cincinnati cornerback Jamari DeLoatch
#GodDid pic.twitter.com/DWUjRlL9AX
— Jahmari DeLoatch (@757Mari_) August 1, 2024
On Thursday, Virginia Tech intensified their pursuit of DeLoatch by sending him an offer flyer. This prompted DeLoatch to take to his X page to clarify that he is not considering changing his commitment.
Currently committed to the Class of 2025 for Virginia Tech are safety Sheldon Robinson from Woodberry Forest and cornerback Knahlij Harrell from Green Run. The Hokies had been interested in five-star recruit Faheem Delane, the younger brother of current Hokie Mansoor, but he ultimately chose Ohio State, which wasn’t entirely unexpected.
Before committing to Cincinnati, DeLoatch visited Virginia Tech. According to the 247Sports composite rankings, he is the 37th-best cornerback in the nation. It remains to be seen if Coach Pry and Virginia Tech will be able to change DeLoatch’s commitment, but they are still actively pursuing him.
