After not starting on the junior varsity level in either his freshman or sophomore seasons, James Gayle hoped things would change upon reaching the varsity level last season as a junior. Things did not start off well for Gayle, who was initially slotted as a safety, but things changed quickly once the Bethel (Hampton, VA) standout moved to defensive end.
The 6-3, 215-pound prospect's junior season performance prompted scholarship offers from Purdue and Syracuse, among others, and this past summer he earned an offer from Virginia Tech after an impressive performance at Tech's second senior camp. Gayle, who has since committed to Virginia Tech, continued his improvement this season.