Joey Rodriguez saw and heard everything he needed on a weekend visit to Virginia Commonwealth. The Lake Howell (Fla.) High School point guard verbally committed to the Colonial Athletic Association program on Saturday.

The one-time UMass pledge said the opportunity to play for former Florida assistant Anthony Grant was too hard to turn down.

"Coach Grant said he wanted to build a program on speed, skill and toughness and he said I have all of those intangibles," Rodriguez said. "There is an opportunity for me to come in and play right away as a freshman and that is all that I needed to hear."

Rodriguez certainly embodies the traits Grant is looking for. The three-star guard shined on the AAU circuit all year long and is piloting one of the top high school teams in the Southeast this season at Lake Howell.

Grant targeted Rodriguez as soon as he took over the CAA program. Rodriguez said he has known Grant since he was in the fifth grade. That relationship will serve them well when he is a freshman, Rodriguez said.

"It was a great comfort level that I felt and the opportunity to play right away is there," Rodriguez said. "Knowing him is nice because I can get right in there and already know what he wants to do. We are expecting to build something special.

"Out here, it's all basketball. VCU basketball is Richmond. There is no football here and all the people around town knew who the recruits are and I don't even know anybody here. It was a real genuine, nice feeling."

Rodriguez isn't the only commitment for the Rams this weekend. Larry Sanders, a 6-foot-9 big man from Port St. Lucie High School also pledged to Grant. The entire 2007 VCU recruiting class hails from Florida. Rodriguez and Sanders join Lance Krease and Myk Brown.

"Knowing all of those guys will make my job so much easier because they know where I'm coming from and I know where they are coming from," Rodriguez.

Together, they are hoping to take VCU places.