National Signing Day: Wednesday, February 4
Recruiting Calendar
A Contact Period is in effect until February 1, which is a Quiet Period. A Dead Period takes place next week from February 2-5. During the Contact Period, coaches can make in-home visits with prospects. Prospects can make official visits to schools during the Contact and Quiet periods, but they cannot visit schools or meet with coaches during a Dead Period. Phone calls are allowed during a Dead Period, however.
UVa’s Class of 2015
UVa scored commitments from outside linebacker Eric Gallon, outside linebacker/defensive end Naji Abdullah and defensive end Steven Wright last weekend, boosting the class to 21 prospects in total. Two of those recruits – tackle Grant Polk and linebacker C.J. Stalker – have enrolled. Position-wise, the breakdown is as follows: 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE, 3 OL, 2 DT, 1 DE, 2 DE/OLB, 3 LB, 1 CB, 1 CB/WR, 1 S
Rankings-wise, UVa is now no. 44 in the nation according to Rivals, which ranked the Cavaliers’ class no. 54 prior to last weekend. Virginia is no. 10 in the ACC according to Rivals. 247Sports ranks Virginia’s class no. 46 in the nation and no. 10 in the ACC. Scout.com ranks UVa’s class no. 57 in the country.
What To Watch For This Weekend Through National Signing Day
– Colonial Forge (Stafford, VA) wide receiver Gary Jennings and Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, PA) safety John Petrishen have been top targets of Virginia’s for quite some time. UVa offered Jennings last February and is in good shape to reel in the talented prospect, though Jennings will take an official to UNC this weekend. Notre Dame and West Virginia round out the list of finalists for the 6’2″, 200-pound senior, but barring a game-changing visit to Chapel Hill I believe the decision will come down to UVa and West Virginia.
Petrishen visited Penn State last weekend after making an official to Pittsburgh the previous weekend. Can Virginia pull the 6’2″, 200-pound senior out of Pennsylvania? It’ll be tough, but Virginia has a chance. Petrishen will be at UVa this weekend on an official visit.
– Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach, VA) head coach Chris Scott confirmed yesterday that Dolphins senior CB/ATH TJ Griffin will visit Virginia this weekend as well. The 5’9″, 185-pound prospect de-committed from Wisconsin following the coaching change there.
If Griffin decides to continue his career in Charlottesville, he would be the second Ocean Lakes prospect to commit to the Hoos in this class, joining linebacker Jahvoni Simmons. The two players helped Ocean Lakes capture the 6A state championship this past season.
– Gulliver Prep (Miami, FL) senior linebacker Dominic Sheppard has not publicly de-committed from Wisconsin, but he is exploring his options. Specifically, he took an official visit to Illinois last weekend and per Twitter will take an official to UVa this weekend.
Cavalier assistants Chris Beatty and Mike Archer were in-home with Sheppard earlier this week.
Great home visit with university of virginia pic.twitter.com/tt5lAF3ZfT
— DSG44™ (@SheppardDominic) January 29, 2015
The 6’2″, 225-pound Sheppard, whose high school coach is former UVa linebacker Earl Sims, would be a nice pick-up for the Hoos, who have already done well in recruiting the linebacker position in the class of 2015. Simmons and C.J. Stalker lead the way as each player has at least one 4-star ranking.
