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Hokies Recruiting: Virginia Tech is a Finalist for Bryce Love

By Tim Thomas

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Dec 27, 2014; Annapolis, MD, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies running back J.C. Coleman (4) runs during the first quarter of the 2014 Military Bowl against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Virginia Tech Hokies are looking to have a strong finish to recruiting for the Class of 2015, and gained a little extra momentum after winning the Military Bowl in a convincing manner 33-17 over Cincinnati. The Hokies are hoping to translate that momentum into success on the recruiting trail with the potential to have a strong finish if they get Tim Settle, Dwayne Lawson, Lawrence Cager, and others.

One of those other players is Bryce Love.

Love is a four-star running back from Wake Forest High School in Wake Forest, North Carolina and has plenty of major programs interested in him. Love is ranked as the 220th best player by the 247 Sports Composite, 210th best by ESPN, and 113th best by Rivals.

ESPN has Love as the 19th best running back while Rivals has him as the sixth best all-purpose back and the 247 Sports Composite has him as the seventh best all-purpose back. Love is also one of the top North Carolina prospects as he is ranked as the sixth best North Carolina prospect by Rivals, eighth best by ESPN, and seventh best by the 247 Sports Composite.

Recently, Love announced his six finalists for his commitment.

Love has two official visits to Stanford and Tennessee scheduled in January while Love took an official visit to Virginia Tech back in September. Love also took two unofficial visits to East Carolina, and one unofficial visit to Tennessee, Stanford, and North Carolina respectively. N.C. State now seems like the huge longshot especially after getting Nyheim Hines who is very similar to Love.

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NC State and East Carolina are the two longshots for Bryce Love while the Hokies seem like a super sleeper for Love. The Hokies have the success of J.C. Coleman as a smaller running back to help along with the fact that Love likely will be utilized in some way as a freshman wherever he goes. However, Virginia Tech does not seem to have the same type of connection that a few other programs have.

Love is a very smart person with an impressive GPA that has made Stanford very interested. Academics seem to potentially be a factor and that is helping make the Cardinals the favorite along with Stanford’s reputation as a very good running football team with guys like Toby Gerhart and Tyler Gaffney.

Tennessee has done a great job of recruiting under Butch Jones, and the chance to be a part of the resurgence of Tennessee has to be intriguing. On top of that, Love likely would have a great opportunity to get plenty of early playing time at Tennessee as a change of pace back.

North Carolina has the home turf advantage, but Larry Fedora definitely is going to enter next season on the hot seat after a couple of disappointing seasons. However, Love could potentially get his highest possible early playing time in Chapel Hill compared to some of these other programs.

This has been an interesting recruiting battle for Bryce Love and while the Hokies don’t have a great chance, they have a chance.

Next: The Ultimate Tim Settle Decision Preview and Prediction

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