National Signing Day 2014: Javon Harrison and Derrick Nnadi choose Florida State over Virginia Tech

Oct 12, 2013; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster stands on the sidelines during the fourth quarter in the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Lane Stadium. The Hokies defeated Pitt 19-9. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Losing out on Isaiah McKenzie was not a major disappointment for the Hokies after McKenzie’s official visit apparently did not go well on either side. However, the Hokies got beat early on in the day by the Florida State Seminoles for DT Derrick Nnadi who seemed to be Virginia Tech-bound till that all changed today with Nnadi choosing the national champions. Then, the Seminoles were able to flip 4-star athlete Javon Harrison’s commitment from the Hokies to the Seminoles and has made this a disappointing National Signing Day for the Hokies.

The loss of Derrick Nnadi is a major disappointment in a recruiting cycle that saw the Hokies fail to get the top players like Nnadi, Quin Blanding, Andrew Brown, and Jamil Kamara from the Virginia Beach area. Nnadi was a guy that had the potential to fight for a lot of playing time next year and seemed to be someone that was a long term starter for the Hokies at defensive tackle. Nnadi was arguably the top target for the Hokies today and this is definitely a disappointment for the Hokies.

The bigger loss though was when Javon Harrison flipped his commitment from the Hokies to join Florida State. Harrison seemed like a guy that could battle for a lot of playing time in the secondary whether it be at cornerback or safety. Harrison seemed likely to be another big time defensive back for Torrian Gray but the pull of staying in-state to play for the national champions was too much for the Hokies to keep Harrison from Florida State.

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