Virginia Tech 4-star Class of 2026 target sets Final 4 schools & sets commitment date

One recruit that the Virginia Tech football team has made a priority in the Class of 2026 is four-star defensive lineman Elijah Golden. The 6-foot-4, 276-pounder listed the Hokies as one of his finalists along with Oklahoma, Notre Dame, and Alabama.

Golden has nearly three dozen offers, and it's a good sign for Virginia Tech that they were able to make the Final 4, but they do so with some major powerhouse programs from the SEC and the Irish. He visited Blacksburg on May 30, then had visits to Oklahoma on June 6, Alabama on June 13, and his final stop was Notre Dame on June 20. He has set July 26 as a commitment date, and at the time this article is being written, there have yet to be any Crystal Ball predictions from 247Sports for him.

Golden, who plays at Cardinal Mooney High School in Florida and began his high school career in Virginia, is the 284th overall ranked prospect in his class by the On3 Industry Ranking, and he is the 34th overall prospect from Florida. He is the 185th-ranked player according to the 247Sports Composite ranking and the 26th-ranked prospect in Florida.

Andrew Ivins, director of scouting for 247Sports, Golden "Might project best as a base end that can play over tackles and set the edge, but could kick further inside or even hang on the outside depending on how the body fills out in coming years. Tends to make the biggest impact with his engine as he will work vigorously to get through obstacles and then build speed in pursuit. Not exactly a precision rusher, but understands how to use his hands and can create an advantage on passing downs with his snap anticipation."

This is an interesting commitment to follow as the Hokies are clearly up against the other three Power 4 schools, but you never know how Golden feels. He would be the biggest commitment in the class to date.