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James Franklin and Virginia Tech beat out Penn State and Ohio State for Kelvin Morrison
Virginia Tech Hokies head coach James Franklin. Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

James Franklin and Virginia Tech beat out Penn State and Ohio State for Kelvin Morrison

By Andrew Kulha  |  Last updated Apr 23, 2026 8:47 PM ET
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James Franklin has long been hailed as one of the best recruiters in college football, and he's flexing those muscles in Blacksburg now that he's the head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies.

He's starting to put things together on the 2027 recruiting trail, and Virginia Tech's latest commitment is a big one.

Franklin and the Hokies landed a commitment from Kelvin Morrison on Thursday.

Morrison is a 3-star running back from Hermitage, Pa. and he's one of the more coveted 3-star recruits in the 2027 class.

The Ohio State Buckeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, Tennessee Titans, Miami Hurricanes and Florida Gators were also in the running for Morrison's commitment.

Morrison is a highly-coveted running back

Ultimately, Franklin and the Hokies won out.

Morrison is Virginia Tech's fifth 2027 commitment, so Franklin and the Hokies still have work to do. With that said, the class is ranked No. 36 in the country as it currently stands. 

Four of its five commitments have also come this month, so the Hokies seem to be building a bit of momentum.

Morrison is a junior at Hickory High School, and he's put up a ton of production over the past two seasons. As a sophomore, he rushed for 1,422 yards and 21 touchdowns. He added 1,645 yards and 19 touchdowns to his tally as a junior while averaging nearly 10 yards per rush.

According to the 247Sports Composite, he's the No. 38 running back recruit in the country.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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