Virginia Tech is heating up on the recruiting trail-and fast. The Hokies just landed a big flip from the SEC, continuing a wave of momentum that’s starting to feel like more than just a hot streak. This time, it’s Hopewell (Va.) standout T-Ron Richardson, a two-way lineman who had been committed to Oklahoma since August, but now he’s headed to Blacksburg.
Richardson made the announcement Tuesday, just days after his official visit to Virginia Tech’s campus. It wasn’t just the visit that swayed him-it was the vision. The hiring of head coach James Franklin played a major role in tipping the scales.
“I like what James Franklin has going on,” Richardson said. “I love what he’s doing out there. It’s closer to home so I had to look into it, and they wanted me to come down so I had to see how it was there.”
This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. Richardson had been eyeing the Hokies for a while and nearly committed over the summer before Oklahoma made a strong late push to land him.
Even after former head coach Brent Pry was let go in September, Richardson kept the lines of communication open with Tech’s staff. That connection paid off.
His visit over the weekend sealed it. Talking with Franklin and getting a feel for the program’s direction gave Richardson the clarity he needed to make the flip.
“It is a program that was waiting for someone to come take it over,” he said. “It reminds me of almost like clay.
I see a lot of growth that can be made. You just need the right people to get their hands on it.
That was the biggest thing.”
Richardson brings serious upside. At Hopewell, he played both offensive and defensive line, and his high school coach Ricky Irby sees Division I potential on either side of the ball.
“I think he could be a Division I offensive lineman,” Irby said. “I don’t think there’s any question about it.
We had a scrimmage last weekend and their coach was like, ‘Man, he’s ridiculously good on defense, but he might even be better as an offensive tackle.’ Just his footwork, his hands, his long arms-just things like that.”
On defense, Richardson checks all the boxes: twitchy, long, athletic, and quick. He’s the kind of versatile lineman who can be developed into a real difference-maker, no matter where he lines up.
This marks the second SEC defensive lineman that Franklin has flipped since taking the reins in Blacksburg. On Monday, Garrett Witherington out of Briarwood Christian in Birmingham, Alabama, flipped from Kentucky to Virginia Tech.
And if that wasn’t enough, Richardson’s commitment capped off a flurry of recruiting wins for the Hokies. He was the third commitment within an hour.
Earlier in the day, Benjamin Eziuka-a big offensive lineman from Novi (Mich.) Catholic Central-flipped from Penn State, and shortly after, Richmond (Va.)
Trinity Episcopal wide receiver Davion Brown, also a former Penn State commit, announced he was joining the Hokies as well.
It’s not just that Virginia Tech is flipping high-profile prospects-it’s the type of players they’re bringing in. Linemen with size and athleticism.
Playmakers with upside. And most importantly, guys who believe in the vision James Franklin is selling.
That’s how you build something sustainable.
The Hokies aren’t just stacking commitments-they’re building momentum. And right now, it feels like they’re just getting started.