James Franklin has been at Virginia Tech for just over two weeks and he’s already made an immediate impact on the recruiting trail. Franklin has flipped recruits from Penn State and secured commitments from some of the top players in the 2026 class, helping improve the Hokies from the 126th recruiting class to the 35th-best class in the nation, according to 247Sports. On Tuesday, three former Penn State recruits flipped their commitments from Happy Valley to follow Franklin at Virginia Tech.
Prized Recruits Follow Franklin, Flip Commitments To VA Tech
The move to hire Franklin has paid immediate dividends in Blacksburg. Franklin’s reputation as an elite recruiter precedes him and he has wasted no time in putting his strong ties in the DMV area to work.
Four-star wide receiver Davion “FatRat” Brown was the latest high-profile recruit to flip his recruitment from Penn State to Virginia Tech on Tuesday. Offensive lineman Benjamin Eziuka followed suit, announcing his commitment to play for the Hokies. Later in the evening, four-star EDGE rusher Tyson Harley also flipped his commitment from Penn State to Virginia Tech.
All three recruits cited their relationship with Franklin and his ability to create a winning culture as major reasons for their decisions.
Their moves come on the heels of three other four-star recruits — running back Messiah Mickens, tight end Pierce Petersohn, and quarterback Troy Huhn — who also chose to follow Franklin rather than remain at Penn State.
On Wednesday, Franklin flipped another four-star recruit from his former school, adding linebacker Terry Wiggins to the Hokies best recruiting class in over a decade. With Wiggins committing to Blacksburg, the number of former Penn State commits is up to 11. In total, 23 players have de-committed from Penn State since Franklin’s firing, leaving only two signees in the class of 2026.
The new Virginia Tech head coach addressed the rumors that he’s targeted former Nittany Lion recruits, telling reporters that the players are following him because of the relationships that were developed during the recruiting process.
“People are saying, ‘Oh, well, Franklin’s flipping all these recruits,'” Franklin said. “Well, it’s the kids that I know and have relationships with. It has nothing to do with a previous school. It has nothing to do with hurt feelings or any of those types of things. They’re the players I know. They’re the players that I have longstanding relationships. And although they committed for the academics and the school, it’s also about the relationship with the head coach.”
Virginia’s Top Recruits Are Opting To Stay Home
Franklin hasn’t just enticed former Penn State players; he’s kept elite talent in Virginia.
Defensive tackle T-Ron Richardson, a 6-foot-5, 295-pound interior lineman from Hopewell, flipped from Oklahoma to stay close to home and play for Franklin.
The No. 15-ranked recruit in Virginia praised Franklin and the Hokies’ staff, saying he “really liked” the culture they’re building in Blacksburg.
Virginia Tech has now signed nine recruits from Virginia, which was a major point of emphasis for Franklin and his staff.
“We took a tremendous amount of pride in the state of Virginia,” Franklin said. “That will always be the case. It’s got to start at home with the high school players, with the high school coaches. Obviously, we got to do a great job in the region, and we got to be able to go national as well. But if you don’t take care of your own backyard, it’s hard to do any of those other things.”
Franklin Proving That He’s Worth Every Penny
Franklin has turned Virginia Tech into the biggest disruptor in college football recruiting.
In just over two weeks, he’s changed the way college football fans think about the Hokies’ future.
Blacksburg is no longer a sleeper destination.
It’s a landing spot for top talent, a program on the rise, and a reminder that in college football, relationships and vision still matter as much as X’s and O’s.
Franklin has flipped the temperature of the entire program, and if this is just the beginning, the ACC might be staring at its next powerhouse in no time.
