Cox 4-Star prospect Tayvion Robinson has ended his recruitment, revealing on Sunday night that he will play his College Football in Blacksburg for Head Coach Justin Fuente and the Virginia Tech Hokies of the ACC.
“The process has been long. I was ready for it to be over, so I figured I would make it public sooner than later and focus on my upcoming senior year," Robinson told VirginiaPreps.com.
The 6-foot-tall, 170-pound do-it-all athlete had narrowed his options down to a Top 6, which also featured Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio State, South Carolina and the University of Virginia. But the Hokies have always had a special place in his heart.
"I was a Virginia Tech and Alabama football fan growing up. It was always them and Alabama," added Robinson, who earned All-State honors in both football and basketball, where he helped the Falcons capture their first region title this past winter and reach the State Semifinals.
What stood out about the Hokies as the relationship grew with the coaching staff?
"Everything – the people at Tech, the fans, the players, the coaches. It’s one of the best atmospheres in the country," the Virginia Beach product replied. "It’s a great school and you feel it when you’re there. They make you feel like you belong and you’re not even there."
While Robinson follows the likes of recent in-state pledges Cam'Ron Kelly of Oscar Smith in Chesapeake and Chesterfield's Jaden Payoutte - also a wide receiver - out of L.C. Bird High School, he knew several weeks ago that he would pick Virginia Tech. In fact, he knew months ago; after attending VT's Junior Day in February.
"I’ve actually been silently committed for a while. So it may seem like they committed before me, but really I committed before them," Robinson also revealed. "I talked to Coach Fuente and told him that it’s where I want to be and it’s a place I want to come to, but that I would keep it silent until I made it public."
Last season at Cox, Robinson earned co-Beach District Offensive Player of the Year honors as a junior with Princess Anne's Darryl Jones (Maryland), but he made an impact in all three phases of the game. Offensively, he saw time at quarterback, running back and wide receiver in accounting for 1694 yards from scrimmage and had a hand in 25 touchdowns total.
To go with his offensive exploits, Robinson had six interceptions on defense - returning three for scores - and had 465 yards on special teams in returns, also finding the end zone in that department. His skill-set could present the opportunity to play a variety of roles at the next level, though it's looking like offense will be his initial spot so that the ball can get in his hands as frequently as possible.
“With them it’s receiver, specifically slot right now, but eventually I think I’m going to have to learn every spot at wide receiver – outside, inside, left, right. There’s talk about me playing defense, but I’m not sure how serious that’s going to be," stated Robinson, eager to prove his worth.
“I feel that I’m just a playmaker. I’ve got the big-play ability, can get the ball in open space, make moves and be dynamic. That’s what I’m planning to bring to Virginia Tech.”
Unsure when he will sign, Robinson hinted he may wait until February to put pen to paper with the Hokies. For now, his goal is to remain one of the most lethal playmakers in the state of Virginia and elevate the Falcons to new heights before graduating.
“Now that it’s out of the way, I’m turning my focus on my upcoming senior year. I want to get stronger, bigger and faster, focus on school, having the best season I possibly can and try to recruit more guys to come to Tech," Robinson remarked. "We want to be the best we can be at Virginia Tech and obviously the goal is to bring a National Championship home.”
More on Tayvion Robinson:
Robinson Ready to Build the Hokies - By Tim Sullivan of Hokie Haven
See Video Interview from May - Updating Recruitment
Watch Buzzer-Beater by Robinson in Region Semis vs. Oscar Smith at Scope
Video Interview with Robinson after Buzzer-Beater in Region Semis at Scope
Matthew Hatfield serves as Publisher for VirginiaPreps.com, part of the Rivals.com Network, and is a regular contributor to the ACC Sports Journal. Check out Hatfield’s Twitter page for more sports related updates, and you can also read his work in the Suffolk News Herald. To contact Matthew, please e-mail hatfieldsports2k4@yahoo.com, and don’t forget to listen to him every Saturday at 10 AM to Noon on ESPN Radio 94.1.
