Elite 2026 Quarterback Oscar Rios Narrows His Recruitment Down to Two Schools, Virginia Tech Does Not Make The Cut

Sep 10, 2022; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; A Virginia Tech Hokies helmet sits near the team bench during the first quarter against the Boston College Eagles at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech initially made the top seven for four-star quarterback Oscar Rios, but they did not make the last cut. Rios has narrowed his schools down to two and those are Arizona and UCLA. Rios is a 6'3 175 LBS QB who plays at Downey High School (CA).

BREAKING: Four-Star QB Oscar Rios is down to UCLA and Arizona, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’3 177 QB from Downey, CA will announce his Commitment June 27th

Where Should He Go? https://t.co/EPiN9K7VWe pic.twitter.com/OJTzWnAyVT

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 17, 2025

According to 247Sports, Rios is the No. 146 player in the country, the No. 10 QB in the country, and the No. 21 player in the state of California.

Here is a scouting report on Rios courtesy of 247Sports analyst Greg Biggins:

"Rios is a fast rising signal caller and has quickly established himself as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks. Hails from same school that produced current Michigan State starter Aidan Chiles but is further along at the same stage in his development. Has a whip for an arm and one of the quickest releases in the region. A true dual-threat and can take off and pick up chunks of yards or extend a play and use his arm to make a big throw down the field. Shows off a live, accurate arm and throws one of the prettier deep balls in the class. Decisive with his reads, gets the ball out on time and throws with anticipation. Extremely tough and has taken some big shots, both in the pocket and scrambling, but never flinches. Highly competitive player, natural leader and draws raves from his coaches for his work ethic and ability to rally his teammates. Lean frame and needs to continue to fill out and add some good weight to handle the shots he’ll take in college but we like where his game is trending and he’s an exciting prospect to track."

This is another tough break for Virginia Tech in recruiting after they lost the commitment of four-star wide receiver Carnell Warrnen, but there could be some good news on the way soon.

Oct 5, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Brent Pry is interviewed after defeating the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech hosted three-star offensive lineman Malcolm Gaston on an official visit on the weekend of June 6th and shortly after, he picked up a 247Sports Crystal Ball to land with Virginia Tech, beating out the two big competitors, Georgia and Florida. Now, crystal ball predictions can always be wrong, but this could show that the Hokies are trending in the right direction for one of the top prospects on the board.

Why is this such a big deal? Gaston would be the highest-rated player committed to the program and they would be going into the state of South Carolina to get him. Gaston (6'5 345 LBS) plays at North Augusta High School in North Augusta (SC) and has offers from Georgia, Florida, Florida State, and North Carolina, among others. He will reportedly take an official visit to Georgia this weekend.

According to the 247Sports Composite, Gaston is the No. 514 player in the country, the No. 46 IOL in the country, and the No. 10 player in the state of South Carolina. To go into SEC territory and get an offensive lineman that other programs want would be a nice get for head coach Brent Pry.

Here is the scouting report on Gaston courtesy of 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins:

"Beefy interior projection that’s going to need to get the body right, but one that has put some encouraging stretches of play on tape. Patient with the hands and frequently balanced in pass protection. Doesn’t create as much movement on down blocks as expected given the weight, but proper pad level and continued technical development should make him much more effective in the run game. Naturally powerful upper half can cause issues for opponents as he’s quick to wipe them out of the way when he gets a solid latch. Not one that covers a ton of turf, but has proven to be effective in tight quarters. Spent much of junior campaign working at left guard and best route to playing time on Saturdays is going to be in the middle as he’s the type of big body that can cave A and B gaps. Must buy into the process and trim down in the coming years, but has a chance to eventually emerge as a starter in a power-based scheme."

Keep an eye out on this recruitment and where Gaston ends up. Virginia Tech seems to have the momentum here, but anything can happen in recruiting.