Hokie Hopefuls: Sparks, Babalade, and others
Another week, another batch of Hokie hopefuls in the mix for future squads. Let’s take a look at this week’s offers, visits, and interest.
Oluwatosin Babalade: DeMatha Catholic High School (’23) | Offensive Tackle | 6’6 307 lbs.
Babalade announced last week that he received an offer from Tech.
Babalade’s Twitter handle is @_BigTree23: Measuring six-and-a-half feet tall and over 300 pounds, I think that “big” is an understatement. This is the kind of lineman you want on your team yesterday. And many teams agree: he’s received offers from nearly 20 schools already.
He’s heading into his senior season, so an announcement must be coming soon. If he chooses Tech, the Hokies will gain a player with athletic movement in that massive frame, which is a difficult balance – and the perfect one for someone on the O-line.
Gerard Johnson: Cox High School (’24) | Defensive End | 6’4 225 lbs.
Johnson announced on Saturday that he received an offer to play for the Hokies.
This is the third offer received from the big two-way player out of Virginia Beach, who has previously heard from Duke and hometown ODU. He’s been primarily working as a defensive lineman, so it would make sense that the offer came from J.C. Price. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it a million more times, Virginia Tech is lucky to have someone with the passion and fondness that Price has. It will be impossible for that not to rub off on any student he recruits. Maybe Johnson will want to play for someone like Price.
Cameron Sparks: Baylor School (’25) | Wide Receiver | 6’4 205 lbs.
Sparks announced on Twitter that he received an offer to play for the Hokies.
Sparks has seen interest from Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Chattanooga, Eastern Kentucky, UVA, and Vanderbilt. It’s never easy to compete with the SEC when it comes to recruiting, but Tech will fight hard if they want this early-recruit from Tennessee. He’s praised for his great use of his hands and for someone so young to already have excellent control of the football, he will be a valuable asset to any program.
Steven Soles Jr: Powell High School (’24) | Defensive End | 6’3 215 lbs.
Soles received an offer from Virginia Tech, his second after one from Eastern Kentucky.
It looks like, from his Hudl tape, that Soles is an edge rusher with great eyes. Wherever the balls ends up, he can find his way there. His 40 yard dash clocks in at 4.84, which is obviously good, but if he could pick up speed a little bit, he would have all of the tools for success that an edge rusher needs. In week four of his last high school season, he racked up nine tackles with eight solo tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble. Those are impressive stats for someone who hasn’t found their full potential yet.
Mazeo “MJ” Bennett: Greenville High School (’24) | Wide Receiver | 6’0 165 lbs.
Patterson visited Blacksburg on Friday and met with Coach Pry.
This is a tough situation for Tech. Not only are Bennett’s offers in the double digits, he seems really excited about his offer from Georgia. I mean, who wouldn’t be? They’re the reigning national champs. That’s tough competition.
Many have been lobbying him to choose Tech online, but the Bulldogs fandom seems even more overwhelming. And don’t forget about the other many offers.
He’s currently considered to be the best wide receiver available in South Carolina, so we can assume the interest will continue to pour in.