Cane Ridge's Mose Phillips III picks Virginia Tech football on signing day
Mose Phillips III, a Cane Ridge standout defensive back and winner of the Hume Award, is headed to the ACC.
Phillips signed with Virginia Tech on Wednesday, making his announcement official at his high school. He is the third player from Tennessee signing with the school, joining Nolensville wide receiver Chance Fitzgerald and Alcoa offensive lineman Lance Williams.
Phillips, who has already graduated from Cane Ridge and will early enroll at Virginia Tech in January, said Fitzgerald and him grew up playing together in youth ball.
"We really did recruit each other," said Phillips, whose dad Mose Phillips II played at Tennessee and was Cane Ridge's defensive coordinator. "We bounced ideas off each other. We took our official visit together. That's a guy I grew up with. We played little league together.
"We kind of recruited each other."
Phillips picked Virginia Tech over Virginia, Georgia Tech and Toledo among others. He had taken recent official visits to Virginia, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech.
Phillips, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior, had 37 catches for 695 yards this season with 12 receiving TDs. On defense, he had 57 total tackles with three interceptions, a fumble recovery and caused a fumble. He also returned an interception for a touchdown.
He was the recipient of the prestigious 79th annual Hume Award, given to the Metro Nashville Public Schools football player that best shows academics, athletics, sportsmanship and leadership.
Phillips will be a safety for the Hokies.
"It's a competitive school and a defensive minded head coach (in Brent Pry)," Phillips said. "Everything about the school was perfect."
Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Kreager.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Virginia Tech football lands Mose Phillips III on signing day
