Shortly giving Cavalier head coach Mike London a verbal commitment this evening, Patrick Henry (Ashland, VA) offensive lineman/defensive tackle Eli Hanback discussed what it meant for him to receive a scholarship offer from the University of Virginia.
“It is a dream come true,” he said. “I’ve been a UVa fan my whole life. My dad and my grandpa and my uncle have all been UVa fans since I was growing up. I’ve been going to football, baseball and basketball games my whole life. To have Virginia offer me a scholarship, it’s a dream come true.”
The 6’4”, 270-pound rising senior’s commitment comes on the same night he received the scholarship offer from Coach London. Coinciding with the Cavaliers’ third preseason scrimmage was a recruiting BBQ event, which was attended by a solid group of recruits that included Hanback.
Alongside his mother and father, the Patrick Henry standout met with Coach London in his office following the scrimmage. He was informed of the offer and immediately accepted.
Hanback says Coach London and company like his versatility and potential to play on either side of the ball. As a junior last season he played on the offensive line as well as defensive tackle.
“They offered me as a lineman. They haven’t decided if they want me on offense or defense,” Hanback said. “If they need me to play offense, I’ll play offense. If they need me to play defense, I’ll play defense. I think they like the fact that I could play on either side of the ball.”
Hanback becomes the 19th member of UVa’s class of 2015. He is the second player to commit today, joining 4-star defensive end Rasool Clemons of South Aiken High School in South Carolina.
