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4-star WR Davion Brown the latest to set Virginia Tech official visit

hunterby: Hunter Shelton15 hours agoHunterShelton_

New Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin has wasted no time making his mark on the recruiting trail in Blacksburg.

The Hokies landed Harrisburg (Pa.) four-star running back Messiah Mickens on Tuesday, Franklin’s first commitment since being hired. Mickens could be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to former Penn State commits choosing the Hokies.

A wave of former Nittany Lion pledges were in Blacksburg for official visits last weekend. This weekend, another one will make his way to campus: Richmond (Va.) Trinity Episcopal four-star wide receiver Davion Brown.

Already an in-state target, the fit of course makes sense for the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder. Unlike many others considering Virginia Tech late in the cycle, Brown is familiar with the program. He’s made multiple trips to campus throughout his recruitment, though this coming weekend will of course be different now that Franklin is at the helm.

Brown took an official visit to Maryland earlier this month and the Terrapins would love to add his pledge ahead of National Signing Day, too. Kansas State, West Virginia and Wisconsin are others that have jumped in with offers to the blue-chipper this fall.

Brown is the No. 307 overall prospect and No. 49 WR in the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 8 player in Virginia.

Hokies land Messiah Mickens

Virginia Tech entered Tuesday with just eight commits and a class that ranked No. 121 in the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. It’ll be fascinating to see where the program finishes in the team rankings come February. Landing Mickens on Tuesday evening was a big first step.

He was the longest-tenured commit in Penn State’s class prior to Franklin’s firing in Happy Valley. He looked to be trending toward Oklahoma just a week ago, but once he visited VT and Franklin it was all maroon and orange from there.

“It honestly was a good experience,” Mickens told Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong. “I’m happy I made the decision to go and see my guys and Coach Franklin … Campus was very nice. It exceeded expectations.”

Mickens checks in as the No. 228 overall prospect and No. 17 RB in the nation. He’s now the lone four-star in the class, but that likely won’t be the case for long. Wiltfong has the latest on other blue-chip prospects that are trending toward the Hokies here.