Virginia Tech Football: Hokies Make The Top Six For Talented 2026 Prospect
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Roanoke, Va. -- Jaziel Hart, a four-star athlete out of the 2026 class and a three-time 1st Team All-State Offensive & Defense player, has narrowed his list down to six schools. The athlete will choose between Virginia Tech, Michigan, Penn State, Indiana, Tennessee, and Virginia. Hart, a 5-foot-11 cornerback and wide receiver is from North Cross High School in Roanoke, Virginia.
The list of Hart's final schools seems to include two different types of programs: teams that have had success in recent years, and hometown schools that would keep Jaziel Hart at home. The Indiana Hoosiers just had their best season in the history of their franchise after appearing in the College Football Playoff. The UofM Wolverines won the National Championship in 2023, and added the No. 1 quarterback in the Class of 2025. In James Franklin's tenure at Penn State, the Nittany Lions have had five eleven win seasons and the Nittany Lions won two College Football Playoff games. The Tennessee Volunteers have a long history of winning, and like most of the other schools in that list, they appeared in the College Football Playoff, losing to the potential College Football Playoff winner, Ohio State.
With Jaziel Hart on the roster, the North Cross Raiders went 9-2 on the season after finishing as a runner-up in the Division II VISAA State Football Playoffs. Hart and the Raiders just lost in the championship game 14-12 to the Blue RIdge Barons, who went 11-0 on the season after continual dominant performances throughout the season.
Hart has full scholarship offers from Akron, East Carolina, Howard, Indiana, Liberty, Marshall, Maryland, Miami (OH), Michigan, North Carolina, Penn State, Pitt, South Carolina Syracuse, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia.
According to Hart's X page, he is a two-time Crunch Player of the Week, two-time WDBJ7 Hardee’s FNB Player of the Week, two-time Indiana University HS Recruit Player of the Week, and an Offensive Team MVP.
Hart has not publically announced when he will commit to his next school, but if he does commit to Virginia Tech, he would be the second player in the Hokies' class of 2026. After four-star quarterback Peyton Falzone de-committed from Virginia Tech after a flurry of official visits that Falzone attended, the Hokies were left for a goose egg for a long time in the class of 2026. Slowly and slowly, time crept to the Under Armour All-American Game where the Hokies added their new first commitment in their 2026 class.
The Hokies added four-star wide receiver Carnell Warren to their recruiting class. Warren is from Bluffton High School in South Carolina, where he will compete in 2026.
Virginia Tech Transfer Portal Commitments (16)
Safety Sherrod Covil Jr (Previous School: Clemson)
RB Terion Stewart (Bowling Green)
RB Marcellous Hawkins (Central Missouri)
DB Isaiah Cash (Sam Houston State)
OL Tomas Rimac (West Virginia)
OL Kyle Altuner (West Virginia)
OL Lucas Austin (West Virginia)
RB/WR Cam Seldon (Tennessee)
DL Arias Nash (Mercer)
EDGE James Djonkam (Eastern Michigan)
LB Jordan Bass (Pitt)
DB Christian Ellis (New Mexico)
RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.
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