3-star EDGE Deric Dandy commits to Virginia Tech

Mount Airy (N.C.) three-star EDGE Deric Dandy announced his commitment to Virginia Tech on Thursday. He chose the Hokies over offers from Appalachian State and Louisville.

Dandy is the No. 977 overall prospect and No. 65 EDGE in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 31 player in North Carolina.

On3 rates Dandy higher than other recruiting services, according to the Industry Comparison. Even though he is not ranked in the 2024 On300, Dandy is the No. 28 player in North Carolina.

I would like to thank God and my family as well as the coaching staff at Virginia Tech and all the others that have been with me since the start! #COMMITTED! pic.twitter.com/x11cewF9EH

— Deric Dandy (@DericDandy32) March 23, 2023

“I would like to thank God and my family as well as the coaching staff at Virginia Tech and all the others that have been with me since the start!” Dandy wrote on Twitter. “#COMMITTED!

Virginia Tech’s 2024 recruiting class contains two prospects in Dandy and Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Gulliver Prep three-star quarterback Davi Belfort. Both have committed to head coach Brent Pry and his staff over the past two days.

“From the first time I stepped on campus there, it felt different,” Belfort told On3’s Chad Simmons on March 22. “I was there for the first time in November and I find of knew then. It just felt like the place for me. 

“God told me that was the place. I kept thinking about it and taking visits, but I knew it. The way I felt with the way they recruited me just made a big difference.”

“What really set Virginia Tech apart was the family vibe,” he added. “I don’t know how else to describe what it is like up there. I just clicked with the coaches and the players right away and it was easy. That family vibe is what put them over the top.”

Virginia Tech hoping to build success on the recruiting trail

Dandy is the latest pass rusher to pledge to Virginia Tech. Last cycle, the Hokies land three EDGEs: Richmond (Va.) Freeman three-star Jason Abbey, Mississauga (Ontario) Clarkson Football North three-star Ishmael Findlayter and Santa Clarita (Calif.) College of The Canyons three-star EDGE James Jennette.

Last cycle, Virginia Tech landed 27 high school pledges and six transfers. The Hokies’ 2023 recruiting class was led by Nolensville (Tenn.) three-star wide receiver Chance Fitzgerald and Charleston (W.V.) George Washington three-star interior offensive lineman Layth Ghannam, two top-500 recruits in the 2023 On3 Industry Ranking.

Virginia Tech finished with the No. 41 class in the 2023 On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. It also ranked No. 7 in the ACC.