Recruiting has been a struggle since Frank Beamer retired at Virginia Tech. Justin Fuente struggled big time and left his replacement, Brent Pry, to pick up the pieces and try to mend relationships in the Commonwealth and beyond.
That should change under James Franklin, but that is not to say that there were not some good recruits this decade who have had a big impact, and some have gone on to the NFL or the Transfer Portal. With that said, let's rank the top recruits in each class this decade so far for the Hokies who played their entire career at Virginia Tech.
Ranking the top impact recruit in each Virginia Tech football class this decade
6. 2022: John Love, K
The Class of 2022 saw maybe the best recruit and the biggest impact from it, Xavier Chaplin, hit the Transfer Portal to go to Auburn. The other options are few and far between if we're being honest, but one player who has made a big impact, albeit in just the kicking game, is John Love. He has made some big kicks during his time with the Hokies, including a 60-yard bomb against Minnesota in the Duke's Mayo Bowl two years ago on a chilly Friday night in January in Charlotte. Again, not much to choose from here.
5. 2025: Jeffrey Overton, RB
There is no doubt who the best freshman was for the Hokies last season. There were hopes that incoming freshman Jeffrey Overton was going to make an impact right away, but injuries derailed his rookie season. He was retained by Franklin and should have a breakout year in Blacksburg.
4. 2024: Quinten Reddish, S
This is a class that has struggled to make an impact, but safety Quinten Reddish. Injuries cut his 2025 campaign short, but he did make an impact as a rookie in 2024 on special teams when he returned a blocked field goal attempt for a touchdown in a loss to Clemson at home. He was also retained by Franklin.
3. 2023: Ayden Greene, WR
One player who has stuck around through everything at Virginia Tech has been wide receiver Ayden Greene. The Tennessee native has been someone who can be counted on in Blacksburg, but when healthy, he's a reliable target who just makes catches. He has 840 receiving yards and will have a bigger role under Franklin in 2026.
2. 2021: Jaden Keller, LB
During his time with the Hokies, linebacker Jaden Keller was a tackling machine for Virginia Tech. He finished his career with 181, 78 solo, and he led the unit with 83 in 2024. He played in 53 career games and was a staple in Brent Pry's defense during his tenure. It'll be intresting to see how he does at the next level if given an opportunity.
1. 2020: Dorian Strong, CB
What a career cornerback Dorian Strong had in Blacksburg. Drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Strong registered over 100 tackles during his time as a Hokie with seven interceptions. He thought about leaving for the NFL Draft a year early, but decided to run it back another year. There is no doubt as to who should be at the top of this list.
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