The route from Fairfax to Blacksburg is becoming a familiar one for Robinson's most highly sought-after football prospects.

Rams senior tight end John Kinzer said Monday he has orally committed to play for Virginia Tech. When the 6-foot-3, 255-pound Kinzer arrives in Blacksburg, he will join current Hokies freshmen and former Robinson teammates Mike Imoh and Cary Wade. Linebacker Alex Markogianakkis, a 1998 Robinson graduate, is a fifth-year senior at Virginia Tech.

Kinzer whittled numerous college offers to a final list of Virginia Tech, Virginia, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue. Though he had until the official signing period beginning Feb. 5, 2003, to make a decision, Kinzer opted for the early commitment.

``I knew where I wanted to go so there was no point dragging it on," Kinzer said. ``The recruiting process can only get in the way of school and the upcoming season and I wanted to be totally focused on those two things."

Kinzer was in Blacksburg this past April for the Hokies' spring game and while there, he and his family, along with Robinson coach Mark Bendorf, met with Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer.

Kinzer returned to Blacksburg in the summer for the Fourth Down Sports Kicking Camp. Each visit strengthened Virginia Tech's case.

``I love the coaching staff and loved being in Blacksburg," Kinzer said. ``I got to spend time with the players and having [Imoh and Wade] down there also played a big part in my decision."

Kinzer runs the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds and bench presses 375 pounds, giving him the rare combination of size, speed and athleticism college coaches crave in tight ends. In the spring, Kinzer played attack for Robinson's unofficial state champion lacrosse team.

``They're just hard to find," Bendorf said.``A lot of big guys don't have the hands and don't run precise routes like John can. That's why he had a number of people coming in to see him. Tight ends like John are a rarity and when they come along, they're in demand."

Last season, Kinzer, who is also the Rams' punter and kicker, was a first-team All-State choice at tight end by the Virginia High School Coaches Association. His best single-game performance came in Robinson's 27-17 win over Centreville in the Northern Region Division 6 final, when he hauled in a team-high four receptions and kicked two field goals. For the season, Kinzer converted a region-high 56 extra-point attempts.

Kinzer said he spent every day of the offseason in the weight room and on the track improving his speed and conditioning. That training will be put to good use this season.

``I'm going to have a lot bigger role in the offense this year," Kinzer said. ``They've put in some new plays for me and I'm going to get the chance to be split out and play some wide receiver."

While most coaching staffs don't utilize lineman-sized receivers to stretch the field, Kinzer is the exception.

``I feel just as confident sending him on deep routes as I do having him in the pits knocking people back," Bendorf said. ``He's going to be a hard guy to replace, I can tell you that."