Virginia Tech Hokies Football: Steward and McFadden commit on Fourth of July
The Virginia Tech Hokies continue to strengthen their 2018 recruiting class, even on a holiday.
The Fourth of July was an eventful day for the Virginia Tech Hokies coaching staff. With football season right around the corner, two commitments ended their recruiting process by announcing their pledge to the Hokies.
First, running back Caleb Steward (Jacksonville, FL) announced his commitment on Twitter, much to the delight of Hokie fans. Steward is a 5-foot-11, 203-pound back with a current three-star rating on the 247Sports composite rankings.
He is the 170th ranked player in the state of Florida, receiving an offer from Justin Fuente and the coaching staff on May 4. He had received offers from the Duke Blue Devils, Purdue Boilermakers and ECU Pirates before deciding on Virginia Tech.
A few hours later, the Hokies received a commitment from offensive tackle Jordan McFadden (Roebuck, SC). McFadden is also a three-star rated prospect who stands at 6-foot-5 and 208 pounds, according to 247Sports. He is the 18th ranked player in the state of South Carolina.
McFadden had recently announced his top four schools on June 22. He had narrowed down his decision to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Michigan State Spartans, Duke and Virginia Tech.
How they fit
With their two latest commitments, the Hokies fill two big positions of need, becoming the 16th and 17th player to commit. Steward is the first running back commitment of the 2018 recruiting class.
In May, running back Shai McKenzie announced his intent to transfer to another program. As a true freshman, McKenzie hit the ground running in 2014 before suffering a torn ACL injury. He hurt the same knee the following season and took a medical redshirt.
After that, he struggled mightily to crack the rotation in 2016 under head coach Justin Fuente. He finished his career at Virginia Tech with 86 carries for 395 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He will be eligible to play immediately wherever he goes with two years of eligibility remaining.
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McFadden is the second offensive lineman to commit to the Hokies, joining offensive guard John Harris (Hoschton, GA) who announced his commitment on June 10.
***247 Sports***