• ATH (CB or WR)
• Hargrave Military Academy, Chatham, VA  (Head Coach Robert Prunty)
• 6-2, 197 pounds
• Runs a 4.41 in the forty
• Rankings: Rivals (3 stars), Insiders #19 of 150 (4 stars)
• Recruiting coach: Kevin Rogers

(Editor's Note: Recently, Chris Horne interviewed VT signee Michael Hinton via telephone and email. Here's the Q&A from the interview.)

TSL: How has your Hargrave experience been?

MH: Hargrave has been great to me both academically and athletically.  I wouldn't have ever thought about Tech before I came to Hargrave. Also I have earned a 3.6 GPA since coming to Hargrave and I have my SAT score that qualifies me to play next season. Hargrave has been very helpful to me.

TSL: What�s the most important thing you have learned in your time at Hargrave?

MH: The most important thing I have learned since coming to Hargrave is that hard work pays off, and to be take school very serious.

TSL: Has [Hargrave head football] Coach Prunty had a positive influence on your game? If so, how?

MH: Here at Hargrave, Coach Prunty has been very good to me, he has helped me in many ways, and on the field he gets my maximum ability out of me. He has taught me to play very hard and be a very smart player. Without Coach Prunty, it would have been hard for me to make it through Hargrave.

TSL: Talk about the recruiting process � did you like it? Why or why not?

MH: I enjoy the up and downs of the recruiting process, but I am glad it's over. I really learned a lot about peoples' character. The reason I enjoyed it is because I got to meet a lot of good people. The reason I'm glad it's over is because I just feel relieved of stress.

TSL: Who is the most influential figure in your life?

MH: The most influential person in my life is Jesus Christ.

TSL: What do you think you need to improve before going to VT?

MH: Right now I think I need to work on my preparation for the new atmosphere of college, before I get to VT.

TSL: Have the VT coaches given you a plan (weightlifting) to follow before arriving at VT?

MH: Yes. I have received my work outs, and will get another in May.

TSL: Why did you choose VT?

MH: I picked VT because Coach Rogers was truly a good person, along with my visit, and with my situation with playing time. Most important, though, was their academic programs.

TSL: Was it tough choosing VT over NC State (the team you previously committed to)? What separated the two schools?

MH: To tell the truth it wasn't hard choosing VT over NC State, On paper they line up with each other identical, but Tech had more of a team concept on my visits, that's what really set them apart.

TSL: Talk about your relationship with Corey Gordon. Are you two close? How did that affect your decision to attend Virginia Tech?

MH: Me and Corey are good friends, we had a great time here at Hargrave together, and we took our visit together. He decide to go to Tech early because he felt that was the best school for him, and he told me to do the same. In the end VT came out as the best situation for me also.

TSL: Besides football, talk about what is important to you.

MH: Right now, the most important thing to me is earning my scholarship. I have been fortunate enough to go to school for free, now I must make the coaches happy they took a chance on me. Other than football the most important thing to me is graduating from Hargrave.

TSL: What position do you want to play in college?

MH: In college I would love to play corner.

TSL: What do you like about corner?

MH: I think I could be a very good corner with a little polishing of my skills. I truly believe that corner is my ticket to the NFL, which is my goal. I contribute a lot at the corner position with my size and strength. With all the huge WR that are starting to pop up, schools really need bigger corners.

TSL: What position do you think you will play?

MH: I think I will play a little both WR and CB.

TSL: What�s your favorite thing about playing football?

MH: My favorite thing about playing football is that I every time I step on the field I get to represent my family name. Naturally I love the game of football and everything involved with it (the hard work along with the glory of being on a good team and a good player), but I really enjoy making my friends and family proud.

Techstudent: What did you think of the town of Chatham?

MH: (Laugh) What Town? Chatham is a block. It is nice for the Hargrave present and retired faculty, though. I would never live here.

Jackofalltrades: Has Coach Beamer talked to you yet about playing on the VT "Pride and Joy" team? Are you looking forward to that challenge?

MH: Coach Beamer and I talk about me suiting up all the time, I think he is excited about the entire recruiting class of 2003 playing, though. I look forward to playing with a team with a national reputation such as VT. We plan on playing at a high level for the next few seasons.

Cliff: What position would you like to end up playing?

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