Pulaski County High School product Nubian Peak is not just another name to be tossed into the seemingly endless pool of running backs that pile their way into the Virginia Tech locker room.
Darren Evans broke out in 2008 - his first season carrying the rock for the Hokies. Evans took the Tech single-game rushing record (253), while accumulating 1,265 yards on the ground and setting a school-best touchdown mark for a freshman tailback (11).
Factor in the much-anticipated upcoming arrival of redshirt freshman Ryan Williams and the signing of the top-rated player in Virginia, David Wilson, and it looks like it will take a lot of work for Peak to see time in the backfield.
Working hard is nothing new to Peak, however. He said he has been doing so since he was at the start of high school and people who watch him have noticed the difference in his freshman year and now.
"Regardless of how good you are talent-wise, you always have to put the work in and that is something I had to learn," Peak said. "As a freshman and sophomore I didn't understand that fully, but coming back and maturing a little bit (I realized) you have to put work in no matter how good you are."
But luckily for the Hokies, being a running back isn't the only thing Peak can offer them.
He is technically listed as an athlete on Tech's letter of intent signee list. Peak is also well aware of the athletic ability he will be bringing to Blacksburg.
"At Tech (during workouts), they had me moving around, running plays, and seeing what I could do and I think I adapted very well," Peak said.
At 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, and with the ability to run a 4.4 40-yard dash, Peak has some experience at the cornerback position, which could prove a huge factor in him getting playing time early on. This comes in handy as the running back spot is jammed with young talent.
"Anytime you have a player of his caliber, it's going to make a difference on whatever team he plays on," said Peak's high school head coach, Jack Turner.
Peak was a force for the Pulaski Cougars, rushing for 1,349 yards on 158 carries while racking up 16 touchdowns his junior season. He also hauled in 11 catches for 296 yards and two touchdowns.
His senior year, he accumulated 1,129 more yards on 133 carries in the regular season and an average of nearly 113 yards per contest as the Cougars went 10-0. He also led his team in scoring with 19 total touchdowns.
For his career, he ended up second on the school's all-time rushing yards list.
"He has the ability to be a difference-maker," said Blacksburg High School head coach David Crist. "This year he was certainly one of the best athletes that we played."
The long-time head coach of the Bruins has faced Peak several times over the past few seasons. Two of those occasions came during Peak's senior campaign, when Blacksburg would play the Cougars in both the regular season and in the postseason.
Peak and his Cougars came out on top in both contests, including a 42-0 blowout victory in the first round of the playoffs. Peak ran for 97 yards and found the end zone once in the win.
Peak, who also plays basketball for the Cougars, has found success in other sports. He paced the team in scoring, averaging 17.3 points per contest. He has also landed in the top three on the team in every major statistical category.
As far as Peak's soon-to-be alma mater goes, he is not the first Hokie to have walked the halls of Pulaski High School. Tight end Jeff King and kicker Shayne Graham currently play in the National Football League, following careers as Hokies and Cougars.
Turner said that Tech has always been the school Peak was most interested in.
Peak added that although he looked around at some other potential suitors, such as Ohio, North Carolina and Virginia, the Hokies were always a top priority.
"Tech was the first campus that I actually went to and was definitely a place I wanted to play football at," Peak said.
However, with a top-25 recruiting class in the county by ESPN, Peak will have his work cut out for him. His best attribute, as he has shown in high school, is his ability to adapt and play all over the field.