Two weeks ago, Virginia Tech was on the outside looking in for two of its top recruiting targets. But a pair of recent visits turned the tide.

Linebacker Allen Stephens of Halifax County was favoring West Virginia before attending a one-day football camp at Tech with his parents July 14.

Defensive back Eddie Whitley of Matthews, N.C., figured his destination was North Carolina State, his childhood favorite, until he took one last visit to Blacksburg with his parents on Thursday.

On Monday, Stephens and Whitley committed to the Hokies, bringing Tech's recruiting haul to six this month and 15 for the rising senior class.

"That visit really sealed it," said Whitley's mother, Joanne. "My husband and I had not had a chance to visit before that. And on top of the beautiful campus, we were just really impressed by coach [Frank] Beamer's longevity and that he and the defensive coordinator had both been there over 20 years. ... And their graduate rate, 80 percent, was something we just hadn't seen many places."