Virginia Tech Lands Class of 2027 Four-Star WR AJ Roberts

Roberts is the seventh player in the class of 2027 to commit to Virginia Tech.

Nov 11, 2023; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; A Virginia Tech Hokies helmet rest on a table during the first half against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech picked up another significant recruiting win of the James Franklin era Saturday, landing a commitment from four-star wide receiver Anthony "AJ" Roberts of Rolesville, N.C. Roberts chose the Hokies over Duke and Florida State, giving Franklin's program a marquee name in what is shaping up to be a strong 2027 class.

BREAKING: Four-Star WR Anthony “AJ” Roberts has Committed to Virginia Tech, he tells me for @Rivals⁰⁰The 6’2 195 WR from Rolesville, NC chose the Hokies over Duke and Florida State

“This is HOME 🦃 #AGTG”⁰⁰https://t.co/Yy00a5WNCx pic.twitter.com/9JUqSYF2II

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) April 25, 2026

Looking at the prospect

Roberts, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound junior, is ranked as the 16th-best player in North Carolina and the 56th wide receiver in the country in the 2027 class per the 247Sports composite. He is one of four ranked prospects from Rolesville High School, which head coach Ranier Rackley has built into one of the more prolific recruiting pipelines in the state. Roberts plays alongside running back Amir Brown, defensive end Jayden Broadie and safety Marquis Bryant, all of whom hold Power Four offers. Rolesville was the 4A state runner-up in 2024 before moving up to 8A, where the program reached the second round of the playoffs before falling to Hoggard.

The production backs up the ranking. As a sophomore, Roberts caught 46 passes for 914 yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging 19.9 yards per reception, second among all returning 8A receivers in North Carolina heading into this past season. That kind of down-the-field ability is what turned his offer sheet into one of the more competitive in the class. Duke, NC State, Notre Dame, Florida State, Miami, Wisconsin, Wake Forest and more than a dozen others extended offers. He had official visits lined up at NC State, Wake Forest, Duke and Virginia before committing Saturday, making this a relatively early decision for a prospect with this much leverage.

The recruitment has a real backstory. Franklin was recruiting Roberts before he was fired at Penn State, and the relationship carried over when Franklin was hired at Virginia Tech on Nov. 17. Roberts made multiple trips to Blacksburg in the months that followed, and wide receivers coach Fontel Mines, a holdover from the previous staff who Franklin retained, was heavily involved in closing the deal. The combination of a head coach who already knew him and a position coach he trusted made Blacksburg a natural fit.

His father went to Duke, which made the decision carry a little extra weight. Additionally, Rackley, the coach who built Rolseville into a pipeline and helped develop Roberts into a top prospect, left this month to become Duke's director of player development. Roberts chose Virginia Tech anyway, committing before he had even taken his scheduled visits at other schools. That kind of early commitment from a prospect with this many options says something about where Virginia Tech's recruiting trajectory is heading under Franklin.