To say that James Franklin is on a recruiting heater would be an understatement. A big one. The first-year Virginia Tech coach has the second-ranked Class of 2027 in the ACC, just ahead of Louisville and behind Miami. Overall, the Hokies are inside the Top 20 ranking.
After beginning with a flurry of commitments on the defensive side of the ball, Virginia Tech has been rolling with commitments on the offensive side of the ball. The two latest commitments are quarterback Peter Bourque and running back Javian Jones-Priest.
In getting commitments from some of those players, Franklin and his staff had to beat out some of the top programs in the country. One school that the Hokies picked up commitments from players over was Georgia and Kirby Smart. It's not every day a recruit picks Blacksburg over Athens. However, the James Franklin effect is alive and well for Virginia Tech.
There is still another month of recruiting visits lined up for several recruits across the country, including at Virginia Tech. One upcoming visitor recently dropped his list of schools to three and had Virginia Tech in it.
Virginia Tech makes Top 3 for elite Florida Class of 2027 athlete
Three-star Class of 2027 athlete Turmarian Moreland of West Palm Beach, Florida, narrowed his choices down to three: Auburn, Georgia, and Virginia Tech. That leaves Franklin and the Hokies battling with a pair of SEC schools for Moreland, who is scheduled to make his commitment on July 4, according to Riley Alberts of 247Sports.
BREAKING: ELITE (‘27) ATH Turmarian Moreland is down to 3 schools, he tells me for @247sports.
— Riley Alberts (@CfbRalb) May 19, 2026
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Moreland attends Palm Beach Lakes HS in FL. He is set to commit on July 4th.
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Where should Turmarian go? 🤔⬇️ pic.twitter.com/kx9M638Ujt
The 6-foot-2, 170-pound star at Palm Beach Lakes will take a visit to the final three before the dead period hits. He'll visit Virginia Tech on May 29, Auburn on June 5, and Georgia on June 12. According to Rivals Industry Rankings, he's the 46th-ranked safety in his class and 495th-overall prospect.
Currently, the Hokies have three-star Elijah Butler from Baltimore committed in the Class of 2027 at safety. They also have commitments from cornerback Chase Johnson from Georgia, along with a handful of commitments along the defensive line. Moreland would be a huge addition to Brent Pry's defense in this cycle.
Moreland is just the latest of elite recruits that have Virginia Tech high on their list, and could Franklin complete the hat trick over Smart and Georgia with a commitment from Moreland? Maybe, but Auburn will certainly have something to say as well before all is said and done. This is certainly a recruitment that is worth keeping an eye on as the visits get closer for each school. Blacksburg is up first.
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