If there is anyone who has had a better last 24 hours when it comes to recruiting than James Franklin has had, I'd like to see it.
Late on Thursday night, Virginia Tech picked up a commitment from four-star cornerback Chase Johnson from Georgia. He picked the Hokies over Florida State, Georgia, Louisville, and a slew of other schools. He is one of the bigger additions to the Class of 2027, and he was the 10th commitment.
On Friday, what had been rumored for a little bit and even had a Crystal Ball prediction dropped for him, three-star safety Elijah Butler, committed to Virginia Tech as the 11th commit in Franklin's class that continues to grow by the day.
Virginia Tech picks up commitment from 3-stra safety Elijah Butler
Butler is from Baltimore and plays at St. Frances Academy. According to 247Sports, he is the 37th-ranked safety in the Class of 2027 and the 12th-ranked player in Maryland. In 2025, the 6-foot-3 Butler registered 63 tackles, one sack, a forced fumble, and three interceptions, including one for a touchdown.
This is another recruiting win for Franklin and the Hokies over SEC schools. Auburn, Alabama, Oregon, and Maryland were the other finalists, along with Virginia Tech. However, in the end, Franklin and Anthony Midget were able to get a commitment for defensive coordinator Brent Pry.
Virginia Tech had a little bit of an advantage in Butler's recruitment, which began to come together earlier in the winter after Franklin was hired in Blacksburg. Alexander Taylor, Butler's high school teammate, was already a commit to the Hokies. This is also another feather in Franklin's cap in terms of a recruiting win in the DMV, an area he dominated at Penn State.
Winning recruiting battles in the DMV is vital for Franklin and his staff in terms of building for the future at Virginia Tech.
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