Hokies Court Several C.D. Hylton HS Prospects, Including Blue Chip 2018 RB Ricky Slade

These days, C.D. Hylton HS alum Travon McMillian is the talk of Blacksburg since seizing the starting running back job. But he may not be the last player from the Woodbridge, Va. school to make waves at Virginia Tech.

Led by Bud Foster, Tech's coaching staff is currently pursuing several players at the school, with none more highly touted than 2018 RB Ricky Slade.

Even though he's just a sophomore, Slade already holds 21 offers, with programs like Florida, Ohio State, Tennessee and South Carolina all jumping in to recruit the promising prospect.

Yet the Hokies are still well positioned in Slade's recruitment, thanks to the program's proximity and history with Hylton.

Slade's made a pair of visits to Tech's campus in just the last few months, swinging by Blacksburg for the team's big recruiting barbecue in July and returning for the team's Labor Day matchup with Ohio State.

"It's pretty much like family up there," Slade said following his team's 24-16 loss to Colonial Forge HS on Friday. "It was different in a good way. They take football very seriously, they love what they do. The coaches, they're not just there for coaching, they want to help them grow as human beings, help them later in life."

Slade said he particularly enjoyed getting the chance to spend time with so many Hokies players and commits that also hail from his neck of the woods in the Northern Virginia suburbs.

"I was with a bunch of Bayside (HS) kids, (2016 WR commit) Eric Kumah, (DT) Tim Settle, a lot of people from around here that I knew, grew up with, played with," Slade said.

As a youngster, Slade is limited in the amount of contact he can have with the team's coaching staff, but he did still get a chance to meet several staff members during his July visit, including Foster, Charley Wiles and Frank Beamer himself.

Photo credit: John Harris, Hylton assistant coach

But Slade says it's Foster that he keeps in touch with on occasion away from campus, last hearing from him "about two or three weeks ago."

Until the staff can start pursuing Slade in earnest next year, the Hokies can count on McMillian to stay in his ear about what it's like to go from Hylton to playing running back at Tech.

"He gives me some advice about technique and just knowledge of the game, the running back game," Slade said. "I take that in and appreciate it."

Slade says he'll "probably" make another visit to Tech in the coming weeks to see McMillian in person again, but he admits that "I haven't made any plans yet" for another trip.

That process will likely be further slowed by an injury he suffered against Colonial Forge. After carrying the ball just once for a seven-yard gain early in the first quarter, Slade had to sit out the remainder of the game after a defender landed on his leg awkwardly.

Slade believes he "tore a little something in my calf," forcing him to cancel a planned trip to Columbus last weekend that would've been his first visit to see the Buckeyes since his eighth grade year.

"I just don't want to be around football right now," Slade said.

However, one of his Hylton teammates is eager to get another look at the Hokies in the near future.

2017 TE Jarrett Powell is planning to head to this weekend's VT-Duke matchup for his second Tech trip, after tagging along with Slade in July.

Photo credit: John Harris, Hylton assistant coach

Powell says he enjoyed his first foray to Blacksburg, and is anxiously awaiting the chance to see a game atmosphere at Tech.

"Campus is really nice," Powell said. "It wasn't too spread out or too close, or too far from home or too close to home."

Like Slade, Powell says the bulk of his contact with the Hokies has come via Foster. But unlike the young RB, Powell has yet to receive an offer from Tech, even if the defensive coordinator assures him that one could be in the offing.

"He basically said that if I keep performing like I am, and putting on proper weight, then the future should be good," Powell said.

At 6'3" but just 215 pounds, Powell certainly has room to tack on some weight to his frame.

TE/DE #11 pic.twitter.com/skkLm9tJ9g— Jarrett Powell (@The_J_Powell) August 18, 2015

Powell alternates between lining up as a tight end and an H-back with Hylton, and he says Tech's coaches envision him playing a similar role if he were to become a Hokie. However, he says he has yet to talk extensively with TEs coach Bryan Stinespring about how he might fit in.

"He could be like Bucky Hodges, he's something to look at," said John Harris, a Hylton assistant coach. "He's a kid with wide receiver hands, lineman strength and running back flexibility. We want him on the field as much as possible."

But Powell notes that other schools have also expressed interest in his services — while he's currently without an offer, Powell says West Virginia, JMU, Old Dominion, Richmond and Marshall have all contacted him.

Another Hylton player who could one day end up throwing blocks for the Hokies is 2017 OT/OG Daniel Horne.

Horne joined Slade for his trip to see Tech take on the Buckeyes, and also got a chance to camp with the coaching staff this summer.

So far, he likes what he's seeing from the Hokies.

"It's a very nice campus, it's not too spread in or spread out," Horne said. "I like the dining facilities around there. If I'm going to be living there for four years, I'm not going to lie, food is important."

Horne stands at 6'5" and 300 pounds as just a junior, and Tech's vaunted dining options could certainly help him get even bigger in the future.

But despite that impressive size, the Hokies have yet to offer Horne. However, he does feel he made solid impression on OL coach Stacy Searels when he got to work with him during the summer camp session.

"I'm good at downblocking people, I'm good in pass protection, people don't really get by me," Horne said. "I'm good in the classroom, so I'm smart enough to be an O-lineman, because you need to memorize a lot of plays and the different defensive formations, and in college it just gets more complicated. Books inches thick."

Horne primarily works at tackle at Hylton, but he says he got a chance to show off his skills at both guard and tackle in the camp, as he's "played both before."

By the time the event wrapped up, Horne says the staff left him encouraged about his future prospects with the Hokies.

"They've just said 'keep sending us game film and keep updating us with your status,'" Horne said.

Horne says he's hearing similar overtures from schools like UVA, Maryland, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Duke and Pitt, but he's currently without an offer. He hopes that will change soon, and is examining Tech's schedule for another game to attend as he tries to build his relationship with the Hokies.

Tech's staff is also trying to get in on the ground floor with Hylton players that have yet to catch the attention of other major programs.

The Hokies are keeping tabs on 2018 LB Kevin Peprah, a 6'0", 205-pound middle linebacker for the Bulldogs.

Peprah says he has yet to visit Tech, but "plans to" as his recruitment picks up steam and other schools notice his skills on the field.

"I would say my pass coverage is my biggest strength," Peprah said. "I usually recognize the receiver and get to the ball quick."

With so many of his teammates considering the Hokies, Peprah admits that he hears "mostly good things" about the program, piquing his early interest. In particular, one factoid seemed to cut through the noise.

"I heard Travon scored a 59-yard touchdown," Peprah said.

If McMillian keeps producing highlight reel runs like that long trot against NC State, he may very well inspire some of his fellow Hylton alums to follow in his footsteps.