Darryl Slater brings the news:

Virginia Tech’s offensive line has struggled in recent years. The Hokies ranked 111th of 119 teams nationally last season in sacks allowed per game and 115th in 2007. As they try to change the line’s fortunes this season, they will rely on right tackle Blake DeChristopher, a sophomore starter from Clover Hill High.
And as they build the unit for the future, they may lean on another local player: Matt Arkema, a rising senior at Midlothian High, who committed to Tech yesterday.
A 6-3, 290-pound left guard, he also had scholarship offers from Buffalo, East Carolina, Marshall, Navy, Ohio, Richmond and Maryland, according to recruiting Web site Rivals.com. Arkema is the 10th player to commit to the Hokies for the Class of 2010 and third offensive lineman, along with Caleb Farris from Lexington and Mark Shuman from Fork Union.
Arkema will play guard or center at Tech and will work at both positions during his senior season, said Midlothian coach Dave Cooper. Arkema grew from 240 pounds as a sophomore to 270 last season, when he was a first-team all-Dominion District selection and honorable-mention All-Metro.
“He moves very, very well for his size,” Cooper said. “A lot of it is just through his work habits. He’s relentless in the weight room.”
But Cooper said Arkema didn’t attract serious attention from colleges until the winter and spring, when coaches got a chance to further examine his game film and academic credentials; Arkema has a 3.95 grade-point average, Cooper said.
Arkema first visited Tech in early April and received a scholarship offer May 26, Cooper said. After taking unofficial visits to East Carolina and Maryland, Arkema settled on the Hokies.
Seven of Tech’s commitments are now from the state of Virginia. Recruits cannot sign a letter of intent with a college until Feb. 3.

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Midlothian senior makes verbal commitment to Hokies