BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
The pipeline from Stafford County to Virginia Tech continues.
The Hokies' football program received an oral commitment from Brooke Point High School rising senior E.L. Smiling earlier this week.
The wide receiver is expected to become the seventh player from Stafford to join the Hokies in the past five years, and the fourth from Brooke Point.
Ex-Black-Hawks kicker Dustin Keys finished his career with the Hokies last year. Defensive ends Isaiah Hamlette and Lanford Collins are current Virginia Tech players.
"They really talked highly about Virginia Tech," Smiling said of his former teammates. "They influenced my decision a lot."
Smiling (6-foot-4, 185 pounds) also received interest from Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia, but the Hokies were the only team to offer a scholarship.
He spent three days at a camp at Virginia but didn't receive an offer.
Still, Smiling and Brooke Point head coach Jeff Berry said that wasn't discouraging.
"I was very satisfied that Virginia Tech was interested in me," Smiling said. "I was content with that."
Berry said Smiling "is the type of kid Virginia Tech has built its program on" because he's an unheralded recruit.
He hasn't been rated by the online recruiting services.
"Who cares?" Berry said of Smiling having just one offer. "Here's a team [Virginia Tech] that's a proven commodity nationally. They know what they want. They pull the trigger, and they don't hesitate. That goes a long way."
Smiling finished last season with 24 receptions for 391 yards and five touchdowns.
He received a full scholarship offer from Virginia Tech in February. Berry said Smiling reaffirmed Tech's offer with a solid showing in its one-day camp earlier this month.
"Virginia Tech saw everything [in camp] that they saw on tape," Berry said. "[Smiling] came back and he gave it a week or so before he decided 'This is what I want.'"
Smiling's the younger brother of track and field star Sheena Tosta, who won the silver medal in the 400-meter hurdles in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing last summer.
Smiling said Tosta, who starred at UCLA from 2001-04, gave him constant encouragement and advice during the recruiting process.
"She told me I should look for academics first and then consider sports," Smiling said. "Her success motivates me to be successful as well."
Taft Coghill Jr.: 540/374-5526
Email: tcoghill@freelancestar.com
| E.L. SMILING Brooke Point: Wide receiver will sign with the Hokies in February. LANFORD COLLINS Brooke Point: Defensive end signed with Tech in February. ISAIAH HAMLETTE Brooke Point: Defensive end redshirted last year. CORDARROW THOMPSON North Stafford: Started every game at defensive tackle and finished with three sacks last season. JAKE JOHNSON Stafford: Linebacker moved into starting lineup during spring practice. DUSTIN KEYS Brooke Point: Had 23 field goals for the Hokies last season. ANTONIO NORTH North Stafford: Offensive lineman's career ended by injury. |