Like many other schools, UVa headed to Clearwater Central Catholic (Clearwater, FL) this Spring to evaluate promising rising senior defensive end Justus Reed, who boasts double digit offers including Florida State and Ohio State. A second class of 2014 prospect, linebacker/defensive end/tight end Canaan Brown, drew the attention of and ultimately an offer from the Cavaliers as a result of the visit.

“The coach that recruits down here came down to see Justus Reed, our defensive end everybody has offered,” Marauders head coach John Davis said. “He watched Canaan work out, and two nights later they called and offered. I don’t think he came here with the idea of offering Canaan. I think they liked him enough, saw enough positives in him, and offered him. Canaan’s a football player. He has a 3.96 GPA, so he’s obviously a Virginia type of student.”

Accompanied by his parents, Brown toured the Grounds for the first time last week. He verbally committed to head coach Mike London and company before returning home.

“Him and his dad and mom flew up. They wanted to look at it because they had never been up there,” Davis recalled. “A day-and-a-half into the trip, he called me and said he had just fallen in love with the place. The coaches really showed him around. The instructors and other people were tremendous. He said he didn’t think he could do any better. His dad was ecstatic. His mom’s ecstatic. I think the whole family is proud and happy.”

...