Hokies Commit Mook Reynolds Shines at "The Opening"

Preseason events like Nike's "The Opening" give future college stars a chance to make a name for themselves on a national stage, and one Hokies verbal commit seized the opportunity last week.

Mook Reynolds, rated as a 4-star cornerback by the 247Sports Composite, of North Carolina's Northern Guilford High School, and one of the first members of Tech's 2015 recruiting class, shined at the event at Nike's headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.

"It was really great to see where you stand among the elite players in America," Reynolds said. "It really put things in perspective for me."

Reynolds was one of 162 players selected for the gathering, and he got to interact with his peers from every corner of the country.

"I really bonded with some of the guys from places like Louisiana, Texas, Florida," he said. "I made a lot of new friends and we got to talk about more than just football."

"The Opening" hosted a bevy of top recruits, and Reynolds got the chance to meet some of the top talents in the country, including Hokies target and 5-star defensive end Josh Sweat.

"I got to talk to him a lot, and he's a freakish athlete, but also a really cool guy," Reynolds said.

Reynolds also got to hear from several current and former NFL players that served as coaches for the event, but one stood out above the rest.

"Richard Sherman was just a really interesting guy," he said. "He was so passionate. He didn't have any equipment or gear on when he was working with us, and he still got so into it."

The Hokies commit also took the field himself. Reynolds' team won the 7-on-7 competition held at the event, and he said it was unlike anything he's done before.

"I play a fair amount of 7-on-7 with other kids in my area, but this was nothing like that," he said. "In high school, you can find the weakest link on the team and attack them, but there were no weak links there. You really had to step up."

Reynolds faced off against some top-flight talent in the event, including 5-star wide receiver and Tennessee commit Preston Williams.

"We lost on the first day (of the tournament) on a turnover, which really hurt us," Reynolds said. "But we fed off that and off each other, and on the second day, we won all our playoff games and blew out the other team in the final."

Now that he's back home in North Carolina, Reynolds plans to turn his attention back to the recruiting process. He said he's still firmly committed to Tech, but that won't stop from listening to other schools.

He just picked up an offer from Mississippi after visiting in late June and he plans to visit Notre Dame in September

"They offered me, so I figure I'll see what they have to offer," he said.

But despite the outside interest, he hasn't lost contact with the Hokies at all.

"We still talk all the time," Reynolds said. "Coach Wiles and Coach Gray are always hitting me up."