Virginia Tech offered Mooresville football standout Kamdon Gillespie a scholarship after his freshman season. Over the weekend, the Hokies’ early belief and persistence paid off.
Gillespie, a three-star prospect and one of the top 2026 defensive linemen in North Carolina, has committed to Virginia Tech, joining a program trying to reascend in the ACC.
Gillespie chose the Hokies from a list of more than 20 offers, including Georgia Tech and South Florida, who rounded out his final group
He ranks as the No. 44 overall player in our NC Football News Composite Rankings for the Class of 2026 — a list that blends evaluations from 247Sports, Rivals, On3 and ESPN.
His 2024 season included 25 hits behind the line-of-scrimmage, including eight sacks. He caused a safety and return a fumble for a touchdown.
📊Kamdon “KJ” Gillespie | Virginia Tech 2026 commit
🧩 Position: Defensive Line
📍 Hometown: Mooresville, NC
🎓 High School: Mooresville Blue Devils (11-2 in 2024)
🧢 High School Coach: Zach Mayo
📏 Height/Weight: 6-3, 245
🏅 247Sports Ranking: Three-stars, the No. 43 player in North Carolina and the No. 147 defensive lineman nationally.
🎯 Offers/Interest: Virginia Tech jumped in with an offer two years ago, and the Hokies’ were rewarded over the weekend. Gillespie reported 20 offers, including Appalachian State, Charlotte, East Carolina, Elon and Gardner-Webb from North Carolina. Multiple Power 4 schools got involved including West Virginia, Georgia Tech, Boston College and Kentucky. Gillespie took a visit to Georgia Tech in late May but canceled a visit for South Florida later this month.
💪 News & Notables: Logged 61 tackles, 25 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 2024, while returning one of his three fumble recoveries for a touchdown and recording a safety … Also pitches and plays outfield for Mooresville baseball.
Gillespie is the latest in a long line of Power 4-bound talent from the Greater Charlotte area, and his early commitment adds momentum to Virginia Tech’s 2026 class. His quickness off the ball and disruptive play style made him one of the most recruited defensive linemen in the state.
📌 More 2026 Recruiting Coverage:
- 🔁 NC High School Commitment Tracker – Where top NC prospects are committing (in-state & out-of-state)
- 🎯 NC College Commitment Tracker – Who’s heading to North Carolina college programs (from NC and beyond)
- 📊 NC Class of 2026 Player Rankings – Our composite rankings based on 247Sports, Rivals, On3 & ESPN
