Brent Pry and John Szefc Land Massive Pledge from Two-Sport Star Micah Matthews

Virginia Tech has been host to a few two-sport athletes, such as Devin Wilson and Bryan Randall that split time between the hardwood and the gridiron. But, there has never been a Hokie athlete in the modern era that participated in both the baseball and football teams. That streak ends today, with the addition of wide receiver and outfielder hybrid Micah Matthews. Matthews, a 6-3 230-pound athlete is a 4-star football recruit that is ranked as the 4th best athlete in the class of 2025 and 5th in Virginia. He is also highly ranked as an outfielder on the diamond, as the Draft Analyst chalked him up as 43rd best high school ball player in the nation.

In eighth grade before he fielded any football interest, he made a commitment to the South Carolina baseball program. In the spring before his freshman football season, South Carolina extended an offer for him to join the football program as well. That offer was his only one until the spring that succeeded his sophomore campaign, where he racked up offers from Virginia Tech, North Carolina, West Virginia, and East Carolina. This winter he picked up west coast offers from BYU and Utah, which joined the VT and UNC as members of his Top-4. By the time the commitment rolled around, it was widely considered a battle between the Hokies and the Tar Heels, a battle that would hinge greatly on what sport he wanted to focus on. Matthews has stated that he plans to play out his eligibility in football rather than entering the MLB draft out of high school. Having both the baseball and football staff working together helped VT make up ground and eventually secure Micah’s commitment.

Matthews plays his high school ball for the Turner Ashby (VA) Knights, and helped them to achieve a 11-2 record. They started off hot, winning their first nine games, but they went 2-2 in their last four and got their season ended by the juggernaut that is Liberty Christian Academy. The Knights are led by T.A. alumnus Scott Turner. Matthews had a monster junior season, hauling in 86 balls for 1,426 yards and 15 scores.

Matthews is an incredibly fluid athlete, using his ball-tracking skills from being an outfielder on the baseball diamond to expertly judge 50/50 balls on the football field. He has good burst to get away from defenders and has shown a strength and willingness to be a good blocker on the outside. He is far from a polished route runner, but his overall talent ball skills are some of the best you'll see at the high school level.

Matthews played anywhere from quarterback to in-line tight end this season for Turner Ashby, but his future likely lies at the wide receiver position. He has a huge frame and uses it accordingly in jump ball situations. He may not be able to get seperation on every play, but he breaks tackles in open space and is always one step faster than the defender giving chase. There is always a chance he ends up at a hybrid tight end spot, but his athleticism may be too valuable to be stuck in a three-point stance.

Matthews is the crown jewel to an already stacked in-state haul for the Hokies, and he is the third WR Fontel Mines has picked up from the commonwealth. Matthews has plenty of positional versatility and it is going to interesting to see where Tyler Bowen thinks he fits into the lineup.