Georgia Tech’s recruiting run gathered speed Wednesday, this time with the commitment of a four-star wide receiver from Florida.
James BlackStrain announced his commitment to Tech’s 2021 signing class, becoming the fifth rising senior to make his decision for coach Geoff Collins and the Yellow Jackets in the past 16 days. Tech’s class now stands at eight. BlackStrain, listed at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, is the first four-star prospect (247Sports Composite) to join the class. He is rated the No. 284 player in the country.
“I knew it was the perfect fit for me personally,” BlackStrain told the AJC in a text message. “They have a family-type atmosphere I love and can’t wait to be a part of.”
BlackStrain, from Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy in Melbourne, Fla., wrote additionally that Tech was consistent in its recruitment of him and that he has a strong relationship with Collins and wide receivers coach Kerry Dixon. BlackStrain picked Tech over North Carolina, Florida and Florida State, among others.
BlackStrain made the decision without making a visit to Tech, which is unusual in normal circumstances but has grown increasingly common as the NCAA has banned in-person recruiting, because of the coronavirus pandemic. BlackStrain said he made his commitment after a virtual visit, in which he was on a call with several coaches.
“I could feel the love already and I knew that this spot in the ATL was best for me and my family,” BlackStrain wrote.
BlackStrain is coming back from a torn ACL that required him to miss all of his junior season. He has recovered to the point, though, that he was planning to participate in spring practice at Holy Trinity before it was canceled because of the pandemic. He declared himself “better than ever.”
BlackStrain (the name is the fusion of his parents’ last names, Black and Strain) is the second wide receiver in the class, joining another Floridian, Malik Rutherford from Hialeah.
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