Hokies Hoping to Flip Tyree "Showtime" Saunders

There's no recruiting offseason. And just because a player is "committed", doesn't mean their name is pulled from the recruiting board. A domino effect ripples across the recruiting trail when a prospect moves from the committed column of one program's board to another.

Enter Tyree Saunders. The Jacksonville product verbally committed to South Florida back in April. Two months later the Hokies extended the 6-0, 170 pound, 247Sports Composite 3-star (0.8614) wide receiver an offer.

"Even people who've always been committed for a long time, people [are] still gonna come at you," said Saunders. "Recruiting never stops until your sign them papers. The recruiting process depends on who you [are]. It never really ends unless you really shut it down."

In addition to Tech and USF, Saunders has offers from Kansas State and Iowa State among others.

Saunders visited Blacksburg last weekend for the program's annual marquee recruiting event, the Blacksburg Bash. He's not the first player to visit another school while committed elsewhere, and certainly not the last. It's part of the system now, for better or for worse.

"It's just a good experience and you only get this experience once, so I'm just trying to enjoy it and make the best decision for me and for my family and my future."

Talented South Carolina wide receiver Jalin Hyatt decommitted from the Hokies at the end of June. He spent a few months committed Tech but took a visit Tennessee and soon after flipped his pledge to the Volunteers.

Last February, Justin Fuente articulated the circumstance well, "If a guy is going to visit other places, he's not committed. Let's be real about this."

Much like the transfer Portal, verbal commitments are a give-and-take game, and the Hokies just look to be on the take side more than the give.

In the end, Saunders enjoyed his day in Blacksburg.