3-star ATH Joshua Clarke commits to Virginia Tech
Oakton (Va.) Flint Hill School three-star athlete Joshua Clarke has announced his commitment to Virginia Tech. He chose the Hokies over offers from Pittsburgh, Wisconsin and Virginia among others.
Clarke is the No. 707 overall prospect and No. 61 athlete in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 15 player in Virginia.
Virginia Tech’s 2024 recruiting class now contains three prospects in Clarke, Mount Airy (N.C.) three-star EDGE Deric Dandy and Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Gulliver Prep three-star quarterback Davi Belfort. All of them have committed to head coach Brent Pry and his staff over the past three days.
“From the first time I stepped on campus there, it felt different,” Belfort told On3’s Chad Simmons on March 22. “I was there for the first time in November and I find of knew then. It just felt like the place for me.
“God told me that was the place. I kept thinking about it and taking visits, but I knew it. The way I felt with the way they recruited me just made a big difference.”
“What really set Virginia Tech apart was the family vibe,” he added. “I don’t know how else to describe what it is like up there. I just clicked with the coaches and the players right away and it was easy. That family vibe is what put them over the top.”
Virginia Tech hoping to build success on the recruiting trail
Dandy is the latest athlete to pledge to Virginia Tech. Last cycle, the Hokies land two in Middlesex (N.C.) Southern Nash three-star Tralon Mitchell and Radford (Va.) three-star Marcell Baylor.
During the 2023 cycle, Virginia Tech landed 27 high school pledges and six transfers. The Hokies’ 2023 recruiting class was led by Nolensville (Tenn.) three-star wide receiver Chance Fitzgeraldand Charleston (W.V.) George Washington three-star interior offensive lineman Layth Ghannam, two top-500 recruits in the 2023 On3 Industry Ranking.
Virginia Tech finished with the No. 41 class in the 2023 On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. It also ranked No. 7 in the ACC and ended up including 13 top-1,000 recruits.
“Coach Pry is building something and I love what he is doing,” Belfort said. “He has Virginia Tech moving up and I can’t wait to be part of the program, start recruiting and become a leader for this class.”