Elite 11 finals prove that James Franklin found something special for Virginia Tech

When the quarterbacks in the Class of 2027 landed in Los Angeles over the weekend for the Elite 11 Finals, most of them were committed and looking to cement their names as the top signal callers in their class.

When the dust settled, a lot of the talk was about Virginia Tech commit Peter Bourque. To say that he opened some eyes over the weekend would be an understatement. He was named the MVP of Day 2 on Saturday and finished the weekend as the No. 2 overall top performer according to Rivals. He finished just behind Nebraska commit Trae Taylor.

Virginia Tech Class of 2027 QB commit Peter Bourque opens eyes at Elite 11 Finals

On Day 2, which is widely considered the ultimate test of a young quarterback’s mechanics and poise, Bourque made heads turn with his performance. After everything was done, Bourque emerged from the extremely talented group. He threw tight spirals and was on point on nearly every deep throw in Southern California. He won the accuracy contest.

Bourque had a tremendous junior season at Tabor Academy in Marion, Massachusetts. He threw for 2,241 yards and 18 touchdowns. He showed at the Elite 11 Finals a glimpse of his talent and the potential future at Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech strikes commitment gold with Peter Bourque

When Bourque de-committed from the University of Michigan after Sherrone Moore was let go, it was a no-brainer for Franklin and Virginia Tech, along with quarterbacks coach Danny O'Brien, to get into the mix. Before Bourque committed to Michigan, Franklin and O'Brien were recruiting him heavily at Penn State before Franklin was fired.

Bringing O'Brien to Blacksburg was another no-brainer for Franklin, and as soon as Bourque reopened his recruiting, the Hokies quickly got into the mix. He ended up committing to Virginia Tech last month, with Penn State and Georgia also in the mix. This is turning into a complete locker-stuffing by Franklin over Matt Campbell and Kirby Smart. Who thought the day would come when Virginia Tech would win multiple recruiting battles over Smart and Georgia? What a time to be a Hokies fan.

Given what happened over the weekend, it wouldn't be surprising to see Bourque get a fifth star at some point. He is that good. The current Hokies quarterback room is young in 2026 with Penn State transfer Ethan Grunkemeyer, North Carolina transfer Bryce Baker, true freshman Troy Huhn, and redshirt freshman Kelden Ryan. A lot can happen over the next year, but Bourque coming in next season could make for an interesting dynamic in the quarterback room.

Smart is likely losing sleep over not getting a commitment from Bourque, and Penn State fans, along with Campbell, seem to be happy with getting a commitment from three-star Will Wood rather than Bourque. Remember, the only reason Penn State didn't get Bourque was that Campbell no longer wanted Bourque. If that helps them cope better, then so be it. Not many programs would rather have a three-star signal caller over a four-star.

Regardless, Franklin and Virginia Tech appear to have one of the top Class of 2027 quarterbacks in the country committed, which is not something you expected to have happen a year ago—the James Franklin effect.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow