Top Five Virginia Tech Prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft
The Virginia Tech Hokies had a tremendous amount of success in the 2021 draft, with two first-round picks, cornerback Caleb Farley (Tennessee) and tackle Christian Darrisaw. Not only that, but they also had third-round pick Divine Deablo, alinebacker selected by Las Vegas and sixth-round running back Khalil Herbert (Chicago). Even with four draft picks, Virginia Tech returns a lot of talent, mainly on the offensive side of the ball. Here are their top five draft-eligible prospects for the upcoming fall season:
Lecitus Smith, G
Last season, Darrisaw got a lot of the praise along the Hokies offensive line, but Smith also had a great season. Playing left guard, Smith displays excellent athleticism and movement skills on tape. For a bigger guard, who is the size of a mauler, Smith excels at pulling and getting to the second level. He does a great job of finishing plays and pancaking defenders. In pass protection, Smith doesn’t give up pressures and has excellent technique. Smith will have the flexibility to play both in a power or zone scheme at the next level. His skill set could work well in either, and there are very few weaknesses in his game. Overall, it is more difficult for guards to be first-round selections, but Smith is a top-32 player in the upcoming draft and this year’s most underrated.
James Mitchell, TE
One of the more surprising picks of the 2020 draft was tight end Dalton Keene in the third round by the Patriots. The Virginia Tech product was selected that high because of his elite athleticism and ability to block. Mitchell is an even better athlete and is also an outstanding blocker. He is the perfect tight end for the modern NFL. His speed and size will allow him to get open as a receiver, but Mitchell can also contribute as a blocker. Virginia Tech doesn’t use their tight ends often, yet Mitchell still stands out on tape. If he tests well and looks good at an All-Star game, Mitchell should go higher than Keene. It wouldn’t be shocking to see Mitchell have a very productive NFL career, as he is a high-floor, high-ceiling player.
Tre Turner, WR
If Turner played on a more pass-happy team, he’d be talked about as arguably the best senior receiver in college football. It starts with what he can do after the catch. Whenever Turner has the ball in his hands, he threatens to take it to the house. Turner consistently made defenders miss, and he has a lot of wiggle for a 6-foot-1 wideout. His route-running is very impressive and defenders struggled to stay with him in man coverage. The talent is there for Turner to be a productive starting Z receiver at the next level.
Luke Tenuta, T
After playing right tackle as a redshirt sophomore last season, Tenuta is moving to the left side this season. The first thing evident in his tape is that Tenuta has the size to stay at tackle. Tenuta is a legit 6-foot-7 and he is very long. At his size, Tenuta is a good athlete, helping him in pass protection. His feet are excellent, and he can kick out to stay in front of defensive ends. The main area Tenuta needs to improve on is handling power. When defenders bull-rushed him, Tenuta struggled to combat them. He can improve in that area, which will be crucial in his development as a prospect. Still raw, the traits are there for Tenuta to eventually be a top-100 pick in more of a zone-heavy scheme.
Amare Barno, OLB
The Hokies made an interesting decision by moving Barno from inside to the edge. Even with COVID-19 limiting his practice reps, Barno was still able to rack up 6.5 sacks during the season. The move paid off in Year 1. What also makes Barno such a unique prospect is his frame. He is under 240 pounds, but has vines for arms that make up for his lack of weight. His overall height is imposing, but he does need to put on weight. He doesn’t look like he’ll ever have the size to be a traditional 4-3 defensive end, but his athleticism will allow him to excel as a 3-4 outside linebacker. He has shown the ability to drop back into zone coverage and moves very well for his size. Barno still needs to develop a lot as a pass rusher. That is the primary concern, as he has no pass-rush plan yet. As a run defender, his lack of weight is also apparent. If he can put on weight and improve his repertoire as a pass rusher, Barno could be one of the biggest risers next season.
