Ryan Jones signs with Virginia Tech

4-star center Ryan Jones has officially signed with Virginia Tech Men’s Basketball to play for Mike Young.

Virginia Tech didn’t have to wait long once signing day started for their top recruit in the class to send in his paperwork. Ryan Jones, a 4-star center and the 70th-best recruit in the 2024 class according to 247Sports Composite Rankings, signed on a live stream at his high school and made his commitment official.

Jones had a back-and-forth recruitment with a number of good programs coming after him, but in the end Virginia Tech won out in a close race over the hometown Florida Gators. Ryan also held offers from Illinois, Texas A&M, Missouri, NC State, LSU, Louisville, Miami, and Oklahoma State among others.

RJ was a very highly recruited throughout his high school career, especially early on before he suffered an injury that saw him miss some time. Ryan has fully recovered from that injury and looked very good this past summer, earning high praise at the City of Palms Tournament in December and the Pangos All-American Camp in June. Most of that praise stems from his incredible shooting ability for a big man, but he can offer far more than that on the court.

Jones is a very good rebounder who uses his size and strength well. Not an elite athlete, but he moves well enough to not have it be a major detriment to his game either. His three-point shooting has to be respected and he should do really well with Mike Young filling the role that Grant Basile played as a pick-and-pop offensive player that can also score inside and defend the paint.

RJ comes into Blacksburg as the 4th highest-rated recruit in school history and the best prospect Mike Young has signed from high school while in Blacksburg. Dorian Finney-Smith, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Landers Nolley are the only recruits who have entered with a higher ranking. This was a major coup for Mike Young as Jones not only fits the system really well, but comes in as one of the best big men prospects the Hokies have signed and that has been a position that has been hard to recruit to Blacksburg.