• Defensive Back
• 6-0, 195 pounds
• Hubbard High School (Chicago, IL)
• Runs the 40 in 4.5 seconds
• Senior Line: 78 tackles, eight interceptions, scored 10 touchdowns on offense
• Four-star prospect by Insiders.com and three-star by Rivals.com
• Committed to UVa on January 29, 2004
• Primary Recruiter: Corwin Brown

Virginia football coach Al Groh has eyed Chicago star Nate Lyles since just after his sophomore year at perennial
power Hubbard High School. With the hard-hitting Lyles on the Cavaliers’ signing day wish list, former special teams
coach Corwin Brown made the trek to the Midwest and used his Windy City ties to develop a relationship with the highly
sought after recruit.

As Brown presented all the University had to offer to someone of Lyles’ athletic and academic stature, he laid the
groundwork for UVa to rival the beckoning persistence from Notre Dame, Oregon, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Michigan State.
These Midwestern powers appealed to Lyles because of their close proximity to home. He was apprehensive about signing
with the Cavaliers, because the school was so far from his family and friends.

While Brown made weekly phone calls and checked on Lyles’ progress, redshirt freshman cornerback Tony Franklin
cracked the starting lineup and stayed there for the final six games of the season. At the time, Franklin was unaware of
how important a role he would play in locking up a Lyles’ commitment.

On December 12, 2003, Lyles took his official recruiting visit to Virginia and was hosted by non other than Franklin,
who is also from the Midwest (Cleveland). Lyles accompanied Franklin to the team’s football banquet, where Franklin
introduced Lyles to the squad and later to Wali Lundy, Michael Johnson and Kwakou Robinson. But more importantly,
Franklin eased Lyles’ anxiety over going to a school almost halfway across the country.

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