2015 Offensive Tackle Mike Arnold Verbally Pledges to Hokies

Few people had a better view of the Hokies' disappointing 27-24 loss to Georgia Tech last weekend than Mike Arnold, a senior offensive tackle from Florida's Winter Haven High School.

Even still, Arnold was requisitely impressed by Virginia Tech that he still chose to become the first offensive lineman to join the Hokies' 2015 recruiting class.

"Everybody wins and everybody loses," Arnold said. "That's just football."

Like most spectators in Lane Stadium on Saturday, he saw that the Hokies clearly had opportunities to win, but couldn't make them count.

"I thought they had a great game overall, they just didn't quite take advantages of the chances they had," Arnold said.

The coaching staff has to be very glad Tech's poor showing against the Yellow Jackets didn't scare Arnold away, as they've been recruiting him hard for the better part of the last year and a half.

"I just liked how open the team was, they really came at me with open arms," Arnold said. "The coaches were always great."

Defensive backs coach Torrian Gray was one of Arnold's recruiters, which might seem like an odd choice given his position, but the move actually makes perfect sense.

Gray has worked tirelessly to drill a Virginia Tech pipeline into Florida, and just a year ago, signed Kendrick Holland from Arnold's very own high school.

Yet it was a team effort this time around, with offensive line coach Stacy Searels pitching in early and often.

"I heard from both of them, but mostly Searels," Arnold said. "He said I'd have a chance to play early, and that was a big influence on me."

Given Tech's current dearth of options at tackle, Searels wasn't exaggerating when he made that particular promise.

But some of the players Searels is coaching right now also chipped into the recruiting effort when Arnold stopped by this weekend.

"I got to know a lot of the guys when I was there," Arnold said. "Especially the right tackle, (Jonathan) McLaughlin and the left tackle (Laurence Gibson)."

Yet it seems that Arnold's most lasting impression of Tech will come from the fans.

"The fans there were just crazy, they were crazy hyped for the game," Arnold said.

Now he wants to get a second look at Tech as soon as possible.

"I'd like to take another visit in October," he said.

The fanbase should be excited about the role they played in landing Arnold, given his obvious physical gifts.

The senior stands at 6'5" and 280 pounds, sufficient to earn a 3-star rating from the 247Sports Composite ranking.

But Arnold says his size isn't even his best attribute.

"I think my biggest strength is my speed and ability to come down on blocks," Arnold said.

With the Hokies trotting out a converted defensive tackle out as a backup OT in Wade Hansen, and losing freshman Colt Pettit to season-ending surgery yesterday, the news that a player of Arnold's caliber is joining the team comes at a perfect time.

Arnold's highlights are available on his Hudl.