It's been six months since James Franklin was hired as the next football coach at Virginia Tech. When he was hired in Blacksburg, everyone knew there were going to be monumental changes coming for the Hokies.
Yes, changes were coming to the coaching staff, the roster, and everything overall for the program. The results in the field will come, and there are high expectations for the field in 2026, but one area where things were really going to change was with recruiting. Even the most obsessive Penn State fans who can't stop talking about Franklin on social media know how well he recruits.
On Sunday, Virginia Tech officially flipped Virginia Class of 2027 commit Demarcus Brown. He is the ninth addition to the class and his addition vaulted the Hokies in the latest rankings for 247Sports.
Virginia Tech Class of 2027 recruiting rank vaults after commitment of Demarcus Brown
After the commitment from Brown, according to Evan Watkins, the Hokies' class is now ranked 20th by 247Sports. The James Franklin effect is in full effect in Blacksburg when it comes to recruiting.
The commitments in the class began on the defensive side of the ball for new defensive line coach Sean Spencer. Then, the last couple of weeks, the commitments have been coming in on the offensive side of the ball as Brown joins fellow wide receiver Anthony Roberts as the first two wide receivers committed in the class. Brown is also the first in-state recruit of the Franklin era at Virginia Tech.
Franklin also recently got commitments for a pair of running backs and a tight end, who hails from Alabama. Under the last two coaches, Justin Fuente and Brent Pry, recruiting took a step back. Part of the reason was because of Franklin's ability to come into the Commonwealth and pluck the top recruits from Virginia.
Recruiting is only to continue to get better under Franklin going forward. Virginia Tech is in on recruits that they never would have been in on last year or before. Times are changing in Blacksburg with James Franklin in charge.
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