The exodus of defensive talent from Blacksburg this year is alarming. The
Hokies lose three starting defensive linemen, two starting linebackers, the
starting free safety and a starting cornerback. It's very similar to the
defensive losses suffered by Tech following the 1999 season, when a number of
seniors used up their eligibility, and their top junior cornerback declared for
the NFL Draft.
At this early stage, my first thought is that the 2008 Virginia Tech defense
will be very similar to the 2000 defense. They'll be young, and they might
struggle early in the year against East Carolina and Nebraska, but they'll be
playing at a pretty high level by the end of the season.