Virginia Tech's James Franklin Reacts to Landing 1,600-Yard Running Back

In his first offseason with the Virginia Tech Hokies, head coach James Franklin is putting a large emphasis on high school recruiting. They found themselves in a high-powered battle for running back Kelvin Morrison out of Hermitage, Pennsylvania.

Throughout the recruiting process, he'd taken unofficial visits with the Penn State Nittany Lions, Ohio State Buckeyes, Tennessee Volunteers, Miami Hurricanes and Florida Gators. He is also scheduled for official visits with Virginia Tech (May 29), Penn State (June 5) and Miami (June 19).

At 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, he is listed as a three-star recruit, the No. 41 running back and the No. 505 player in the nation, per Rivals Industry Rankings. Morrison put together a strong junior season at Hickory High School, rushing for 1,645 yards and 19 touchdowns on 174 carries.

With a handful of options to choose from, the running back made his decision on Thursday. At 1:59 p.m. ET, Rivals' national recruiting and transfer portal reporter, Hayes Fawcett, revealed that Morrison committed to Virginia Tech.

However, Fawcett likely wasn't the first person to find out about the commitment decision. At 1:55 p.m. ET, Franklin teased the announcement via an X post, writing, "Welcome to the 'Burg!! #ThisIsHome."

Welcome to the 'Burg!!#ThisIsHomepic.twitter.com/cnUmUHVZW1

— James Franklin (@coachjfranklin) April 23, 2026

Morrison becomes the sixth player that Virginia Tech has landed in the 2027 recruiting class. The group now ranks sixth in the ACC and 28th in the nation, with the newest running back becoming the first offensive addition.

It may not be the only running back Franklin gets, either. The Rivals recruiting prediction machines give the Hokies the best chance (79.5%) to land unranked Darren Williams.

Related: Kirby Smart, Georgia Predicted to Lose 4-Star Playmaker to SEC Team

Copyright 2026 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.

This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 11:48 AM.