There isn’t much change from 1-20 from the original Preseason Top 40 posted in June, but there has been some shuffling from 20 through 40. With the final piece of evaluation – the 2010 season – yet to come, check out which prospects are included in this final version of the TheSabre.com’s Preseason Top 40.
Of the Top 40, 28 players have given verbal commitments. Only three of the top 10 prospects have committed, however, so certainly some big decisions are yet to come.
UVa leads all schools with 11 commitments from the Top 40. Virginia Tech comes in second right now with six. UNC has three recruits. Duke and West Virginia have two apiece while Clemson, Connecticut, Liberty and Marshall each have one commitment.
Preseason Top 40, Final Version
1. Curtis Grant – LB, 6-3, 220 pounds, Hermitage (Richmond)
Uncommitted
2. Dominique Terrell – WR/CB, 5-10, 170 pounds, Osbourn (Manassas)
Uncommitted
3. Demetrious Nicholson – CB, 5-9, 165 pounds, Bayside (Virginia Beach)
Uncommitted
4. Landon Turner – OL, 6-6, 300 pounds, Harrisonburg
Committed to UNC
5. Corey Marshall – DL, 6-1, 250 pounds, Dinwiddie
Committed to Virginia Tech
6. Travis Hughes – LB/RB, 6-1, 225 pounds, Kempsville (Virginia Beach)
Uncommitted
7. Clifton Richardson – RB, 6-1, 195 pounds, Menchville (Newport News)
Committed to UVa (soft verbal)
8. Quinta Funderburk – WR, 6-2, 200 pounds, Oscar Smith (Chesapeake)
Uncommitted
9. Lafonte Thourogood – QB, 6-2, 210 pounds, Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach)
Uncommitted
10. Jay Whitmire – OL, 6-7, 290 pounds, T.C. Williams (Alexandria)
Uncommitted
11. Ronny Vandyke – S/LB, 6-3, 200 pounds, South County (Lorton)
Committed to Virginia Tech
12. Daquan Romero – LB/DE, 6-1, 220 pounds, Phoebus (Hampton)
Committed to UNC
13. Anthony Harris – DB/WR, 6-3, 190 pounds, L.C. Bird (Chesterfield)
Committed to UVa
14. Caleb Taylor – LB, 6-0, 230 pounds, Phoebus (Hampton)
Committed to UVa
15. Rob Burns – DE/TE, 6-7, 230 pounds, Stone Bridge (Ashburn)
Committed to UVa
16. Michael Cole – LB/S, 6-2, 200 pounds, Cave Spring (Roanoke)
Committed to Virginia Tech
17. Tim Scott – CB/WR, 5-11, 175 pounds, Colonial Forge (Stafford)
Committed to UNC
18. David Watford – QB, 6-1, 185 pounds, Hampton
Committed to UVa
19. Jake Goins – OL, 6-5, 280 pounds, Manchester (Midlothian)
Committed to Virginia Tech
20. David Dean – DT, 6-2, 285 pounds, Green Run (Virginia Beach)
Committed to UVa
21. Michael Holmes – RB, 6-1, 190 pounds, Harrisonburg
Uncommitted
22. Kameron Mack – S/ATH, 6-5, 200 pounds, I.C. Norcom (Portsmouth)
Committed to UVa
23. Eric Frohnapfel – TE, 6-6, 220 pounds, Colonial Forge (Stafford)
Committed to West Virginia
24. Diamonte Bailey – DE, 6-3, 220 pounds, Hermitage (Richmond)
Committed to UVa
25. Thompson Brown – DE/TE, 6-4, 240 pounds, St. Christopher’s (Richmond)
Committed to UVa
26. Ross Burbank – OL, 6-5, 285 pounds, Cox (Virginia Beach)
Committed to UVa
27. DeAndre Reaves – RB, 5-10, 180 pounds, Dominion (Sterling)
Committed to West Virginia
28. Sam Marshall – OL/DE, 6-8, 265 pounds, Chancellor (Fredericksburg)
Committed to Duke
29. Dewayne Alford – DE, 6-3, 220 pounds, Nansemond River (Suffolk)
Committed to Virginia Tech
30. Grant Jones – OL, 6-4, 280 pounds, Liberty Christian Academy (Lynchburg)
Committed to Liberty
31. Isaiah Battle – OL, 6-7, 265 pounds, Blue Ridge
Committed to Clemson
32. Jared Velasquez – DB, 6-1, 185 pounds, Robinson (Fairfax)
Uncommitted
33. Michael Nebrich – QB/ATH, 6-1, 190 pounds, Lake Braddock (Burke)
Committed to Connecticut
34. Chris Hall – QB/ATH, 6-4, 225 pounds, Dinwiddie
Committed to Virginia Tech
35. Raysean Richardson – LB/S, 6-0, 200 pounds, Oscar Smith (Chesapeake)
Uncommitted
36. Timmy Keith – WR, 6-0, 200 pounds, Osbourn (Manassas)
Uncommitted
37 Reggie Owens – DB, 6-0, 180 pounds, Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach)
Committed to Duke
38 Darius Lee – LB/S, 6-1, 205 pounds, St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes (Alexandria)
Committed to UVa
39. Blake Frohnapfel – QB, 6-5, 200 pounds, Colonial Forge (Stafford)
Committed to Marshall
40. Marcus Harris – RB, 6-0, 175 pounds, Stone Bridge (Ashburn)
Uncommitted
Ones to watch
Neil Anthony-Hale – DB/LB, Maury
Breon Bailey – QB/ATH, Norfolk Christian
Mylon Blueford – CB, Oscar Smith
Kevin Buchanon – LB/DE, Maury
Damien Caison – TE, Warren County
Donte Capers – CB, Booker T. Washington
Cortez Carter – FB/LB, Liberty (Bealeton) Committed to Marshall
Damien Carter – LB, Amherst
Dan Chrost – TE/DE, Stone Bridge
Jason Creeden – OL/DL, Woodberry Forest
Austin Copeland – LB, Gar-Field
Josh Doggett – LB, Atlee
Trey Gardner – WR, Dinwiddie
Jaston George – DB, Oscar Smith Committed to Syracuse
Kevin Green – ATH, Petersburg Committed to Virginia
Iric Harris – CB, Hylton
J.T. Hornyak – DB, Woodberry Forest
Irabor Imobisa – OL/DL, Meadowbrook
Demetrik Jackson – RB, Thomas Dale
Anthony Johnson – WR, Mountain View
Keith Johnson – WR, Petersburg
Demitri Knowles – WR, Liberty Christian Academy
Chaz Lowery – OL, Ocean Lakes
Josh Mann – OL, Ocean Lakes
Jamil McGinnis – WR/DB, L.C. Bird
Connor Mewbourne – OL/DL, First Colonial
Michael Mey – ATH, J.R. Tucker
Alex Mosley – DL, Highland Springs
Christian Norton – LB, Deep Run
Tre Preston – LB/DE, Franklin County
Brendan Riddick – ATH, Hermitage
George Riddick – OL/DL, King’s Fork
Brian Rody – QB, Stone Bridge
Brandon Rogers – CB, Hermitage
Spenser Rositano – S, Stone Bridge
Max Sarmento – LB, Deep Run
Drayton Shanks – WR, Eastern View
Dallas Simmons – RB, Deep Run
Mason Thomas – DB, Kempsville
Joshua Trimble – DB, Bishop O’Connell
Josh Woodrum – QB, Cave Spring Committed to Liberty
Raheem Walker – DB, Maury
Derrion Walton – RB, Lake Taylor
Sedale Young – OL, William Fleming
Matt Zanelatto – WR, Lake Braddock
Revisiting UVa and VT offers
Here are the prospects that have been offered by both schools. How are the in-state rivals faring?
QB Lafonte Thourogood – Remains uncommitted. I like Virginia Tech’s chances in the end.
QB David Watford – Committed to UVa
RB Michael Holmes – Uncommitted. Things have been quiet on this front.
OL Jake Goins – Committed to Virginia Tech
OL Landon Turner – Committed to UNC
DL Corey Marshall – Committed to Virginia Tech
LB/S Michael Cole – Committed to Virginia Tech
LB Curtis Grant – Uncommitted. Alabama and Florida headline the out-of-state schools in heavy contention, while Virginia and Virginia Tech are definitely in this race as well in my opinion.
LB/RB Travis Hughes – Uncommitted. Travis has a top 5 of UNC, CLEM, MD, VT and LSU, in that order. He will take official visits to all five before committing. Virginia has not been eliminated but is on the outside looking in at this point.
CB Demetrious Nicholson – Uncommitted. UNC continues to lead, but Clemson, Stanford, Virginia, Virginia Tech and others are being considered. I see Clemson and Virginia Tech as UNC’s biggest threats right now.
S Kameron Mack – Committed to UVa
RB/ATH Clifton Richardson – Committed to UVa. Richardson is only a “soft” commit to UVa, although I really think Virginia will be the school he signs with. He is not seriously considering Virginia Tech right now even though he remains open to other schools.
ATH Dominique Terrell – Uncommitted. Terrell has narrowed his list to LSU, Miami, Texas Tech, Virginia and Virginia Tech
ATH Ronny Vandyke – Committed to Virginia Tech
UVa’s in-state haul
In-state recruiting is a major focus of the new coaching staff. With 12 commitments in the fold heading into the fall, Coach London and company should be pleased with their efforts thus far. Only one commitment is ranked in the top 10, but there are five other prospects currently sitting between 10 and 20. Virginia has beaten rival Virginia Tech head to head for three prospects, including running back Clifton Richardson , quarterback David Watford and safety/athlete Kameron Mack .
Clifton “Doodie” Richardson, the headliner, has the potential to be a stud running back. He has good size, shiftiness, quickness and toughness. Richardson is also a highly capable receiver out of the backfield, so he would bring versatility to the running back spot. What makes his commitment key as well is the fact that he hails from the Tidewater area, one of the more talent-rich areas of the state.
At last check, Doodie still claims to be a “soft” commitment to UVa. The way he speaks about the Virginia staff and his actions – he has made several visits to UVa since his commitment – signal that he is pretty solid, though, and at this point I expect he’ll follow through and sign with Virginia in February.
Remaining targets
If Virginia can turn in a good season and show that the program is going in the right direction, I believe Hermitage linebacker Curtis Grant could still be within reach. I do think the season is very important to Virginia’s chances, though.
Virginia’s remaining best bets right now include T.C. Williams (Alexandria) offensive tackle Jay Whitmire and unranked wide receiver Demitri Knowles of Liberty Christian Academy (Lynchburg). The Hoos also remaining the running with cornerback Demetrious Nicholson and quarterback/athlete Lafonte Thourogood but are on the outside looking in for linebacker Travis Hughes .