Virginia Tech Recruiting: Three Star Defensive Lineman Zeke Chinwike Interview
Zeke Chinwike added to the 2025 Virginia Tech recruiting class when he committed on July 26th. Chinwike is a Virginia native, who also held offers from West Virginia, East Carolina, and UConn.
Chinwike, a player who is always in the backfield, climbed up the ranks of recruiting due to his relentlessness on defense. Chinwike will add to Green Run High School next season, a school which had a 12-1 record, and a 10-0 record in their region last year. Green Run had an amazing defense, letting up more than fourteen points once, and only allowing opponents to score 8.2 points per game.
Chinwike was kind enough to give an interview from Virginia to me. This interview details Chinwike’s future at Virginia Tech, his official visit, Virginia Tech culture, and his motivation to be great as a football player.
He remembers his junior year at Ocean Lakes fondly, recalling his career highlight, “My greatest career highlight was definitely the Ocean Lakes [versus] Salem game. I made an amazing amount of plays that game, always getting in the backfield, and showing an insane amount of energy and toughness.” He continued, “It is time now that I prove myself at my new school, which is Green Run High School. I can’t wait to show myself to everyone and show them what I can do”
Chinwike will begin his career at Green Run on August 29th, when the Stallions face off against Tallwood High School, an in-city rivalry. Zeke should make a big impact on that game, and start off on the right foot at Green Run.
“My family and my grandma is definitely what motivates me to be great,” he recalls, “those are the people who I do it for. We have been through ups and downs, and I’m [excited] to give them all the world.”
Zeke is a very talented and versatile player on defense, and knows he can make an impact at Virginia Tech. He plays with absolute confidence in his abilities, and describes himself as “never-lacking, mean, humble, and very energetic”.
Zeke has been climbing up the recruiting ranks, receiving his first Division 1 offer from Kent State in May of 2023, to now holding 12 offers on 247Sports, and committing to Virginia Tech.
When talking about his transition to college and how he’s preparing for his career at Virginia Tech, Zeke said, “I’m putting in all the work I can on and off the field. I’m trying a lot of new things, and trying to be the best version of myself going forward in life.”
Zeke went into detail on how amazing his experience with Virginia Tech had been, “Virginia Tech is always a welcoming school. They don’t just show you love [during] the official visit and then that’s it, they show you love throughout the years of being at Virginia Tech. I know so many guys that have played at Virginia Tech, and then came back to be a coach or a [member of] the recruiting staff.”
“The official visit just opened my eyes to my future. I noticed the love and bond between the staff, coaches, and players. I did not want to miss out on anything. I wanted to be apart of a great family and I’m blessed to now have that.” He continued, “Virginia Tech is the place to be. The main thing that caught my eye was the city and town. I need a home that’s going to be safe , [close-knit] and welcoming. At Virginia Tech , I found that immediately.”
Zeke is not only excited about his recruiting process, he has shown optimism for his future at Virginia Tech. “I am beyond excited to be apart of Coach Price’s defensive line. He played for VIrginia Tech and made a big name for himself, and I’m already knowing that he’s going to do the same thing for me.”
“I’m definitely excited to play alongside Jason Abbey, Gerard Johnson, Keyshawn Burgos, Josh Fuga , Emmet Laws, Xavier Chaplin, Malachi Madison, and James Jennette.”
Zeke is joining a big history of Virginia Tech defensive linemen, with Tim Settle Jr., Mario Kendricks, and Norell Pollard all being current NFL players, all from Virginia Tech. Most notably, there’s some very legendary retired defensive linemen from Virginia Tech, with Bruce Smith, Robert Brown, and John Engelberger.
That’s a very high expectation and standard. Chinwike? He isn’t worried.
“I want to leave a mark at virginia tech and I want everyone to remember my name is a good way. I am going to leave a mark at Virginia Tech by God’s grace.”
Chinwike will join campus in 2025, and will be a huge addition to an already stacked defensive line.
RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.