This weekend will be important for both the Virginia men’s basketball program as well as the football squad.
Tony Bennett’s Elite Camp
Tony Bennett and company are hosting an Elite Camp today. The event is expected to start around 2 this afternoon and finish up around 8:30 or so this evening.
After receiving a commitment from Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) rising senior power forward Jarred Reuter, the Cavaliers have no scholarships currently available for the class of 2015. This camp will be more important for the all-important class of 2016 and beyond.
As the roster currently stands, Virginia will have five scholarships available in the class of 2016. The Hoos are on track to have five players – Justin Anderson, Malcolm Brogdon, Anthony Gill, Evan Nolte and Mike Tobey – run out of eligibility following the 2015/2016 season, thus opening up those five scholarship spots.
Greensboro (N.C.) Page point guard Ty Graves, who received an offer shortly following last year’s Elite Camp, is expected on Grounds today. The 5’11” prospect remains a top target of the Hoos. At last check he wanted to narrow his list this fall and possibly commit next February, but he has had Virginia as his favorite for quite some time and it wouldn’t be a total surprise if he made his college choice sooner rather than later.
North Carolina combo guard Jaylen Fornes and Jackson (TN) University School shooting guard/small forward Clayton Hughes are among the other perimeter prospects expected at camp today. Fornes, a 6’2” prospect out of North Carolina, told me at the ScoutsFocus Camp in Charlottesville earlier this year that he was trying to develop himself into more of a point guard. He was more of a shooting guard when I saw him at ScoutsFocus, but he showed some things, including a nice jumper, good athletic ability, and toughness.
I think Virginia will have to see more from Fornes after today before offering, but he is a prospect to keep an eye on. As for Hughes, I think the 6’4” wing could land an offer today with an impressive performance. Like Fornes he impressed at ScoutsFocus, but he has drawn high-major interest, including a reported offer from Ole Miss. Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Virginia have all expressed serious interest in Hughes, who toured UVa following ScoutsFocus in June of this year.
Per Twitter, Paul VI (Fairfax, VA) power forward Corey Manigault, a 6’8”, 230-pound prospect, plans on attending UVa’s camp today as well. Rivals reports the talented rising junior has offers from Pitt, Miami and U-Mass. Also per Twitter, class of 2017 forward Myles Douglas will be in Charlottesville. Douglas, a 6’6” prospect, reportedly holds an offer from Miami, among others.
St. Anne’s-Belfield (Charlottesville, VA) class of 2016 power forward/center Javin Montgomery-DeLaurier is raw but has a good frame (6’8” and still could be growing) and impressed me with his defense and energy during the 2014 NBPA Top 100 Camp. He is expected at camp today. VCU has offered already.
I’ll provide updates, including player confirmations and observations, throughout the afternoon and evening on the EDGE Subscribers Board.
Football BBQ
Virginia football has a scrimmage today and is hosting a BBQ for recruits as well. We’ll update the list of visitors as we get confirmations, but in the meantime here are those we have confirmed so far…
– UVa class of 2015 commitment Myles Robinson will be on Grounds for the first time since his sophomore year. That initial experience was enough to help sway the 6’0”, 188-pound cornerback/wide receiver to commit to the Hoos this summer. We’ll get his reaction to this latest trip as well.
Other commits expected on Grounds today include Glen Allen (VA) wide receiver Cole Blackman (class of 2016), Kettle Run (Nokesville, VA) wide receiver David Eldridge III (class of 2015), Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) quarterback Nick Johns and Liberty (Bealeton, VA) offensive lineman RJ Proctor (class of 2015).
– Phoebus (Hampton, VA) standout cornerback Robbie Robinson plans to attend today’s event. Virginia has been in hot pursuit for some time, but Robinson is also considering offers from Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, Penn State, West Virginia and Wisconsin, among others.
– 6’6”, 260-pound offensive tackle Clark Yarbrough has become a coveted prospect in the class of 2016, scoring offers including Virginia, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Yarbrough attends Woodberry Forest School in Virginia.
– Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach, VA) class of 2016 defensive back Anthony Womack tweeted his plans to attend today’s event as well. UVa has yet to offer the 5’9” prospect.
– St. Christopher’s (Richmond, VA) class of 2017 quarterback Alex Faniel earned a scholarship offer the last time he was on Grounds, for Virginia’s one-day camp on July 23. He plans to return today as well.
