James Franklin and Virginia Tech are squarely in the mix for elite 4-star WR Malachi Lee

With the start of the 2026 season comes the start of recruiting trips for the Class of 2028 and, in some cases, beyond. Virginia Tech begins the James Franklin era in Blacksburg on Saturday night when VMI makes a visit to Lane Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

There is nothing better than beginning the Franklin era with a night game at home on Labor Day Weekend, the first in three years. With it being a holiday weekend, you can bet that there are going to be several recruits on campus to take in the atmosphere and hear Enter Sandman. One recruit who will be in town is one of the top recruits in his class in Virginia, Malachi Lee.

4-star Class of 2028 WR Malachi Lee drop top 12 schools

When it comes to playmakers in the Commonwealth, Lee sits right at the top of the list. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound star from Centreville, Virginia, is down to 12 schools, according to Hayes Fawcett of Rivals, with Virginia Tech in the mix. He has one visit lined up, and he's also lining up visits to Michigan and Texas A&M.

According to Rivals, Lee is the 48th-ranked player in his class, the No, 8 wide receiver, and the top-ranked prospect in Virginia. He is a consensus four-star across the board at the major recruiting outlets.

As you can see in the list of his top 12 schools, there are some powerhouse programs in the mix, including Ohio State, Oregon, Miami, USC, and others.

It's safe to say that Lee should be a priority for Franklin and his staff. Lee is an elite playmaking wide receiver and the type of talent that Virginia Tech needs to retain and keep him home. That has been a talking point since Franklin was hired, and now it'll be put to the test with other powerhouse programs across the country.

Virginia Tech has some good young wide receivers who are going to be pushing for playing time this upcoming season and in the future, but Lee is someone who would be a major recruiting win. Expect Fontel Mines to be heavily involved in his recruitment when Lee visits. His numbers speak for themselves, as he had 69 catches for 978 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. He is also a standout defensive back, but is expected to be a wide receiver at the next level and a good one.

When Franklin was at Penn State, he landed some of the top recruits and even came into Virginia and plucked some right out from under the Hokies and even flipped one on Labor Day Weekend two years ago. Virginia Tech is going to have its work cut out for Lee, but keeping him within the Commonwealth would send a massive message to future top recruits in Virginia.

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