Two days after receiving a verbal commitment from in-state tight end prospect Andrew Trainer, the University of Virginia football program has accepted a pledge from outside of the Commonwealth. Ben Knutson, a 6’8″, 275-pound offensive tackle out of Penn High School in Mishawaka, Indiana, has become the newest rising high school senior prospect to commit to the Cavaliers.
Proud to say I've decided to continue my athletic and academic career at the University of Virginia! #wahoowa pic.twitter.com/ff6EEHzeNg
— Benjamin Knutson (@TheBenKnutson) May 25, 2015
Knutson received a scholarship offer from UVa on May 6. He was in Charlottesville on Friday on an unofficial visit — he tweeted that he had a “great visit” — before trekking today to the University of Pittsburgh. Following the visit to Pitt, Knutson decided to commit to the Hoos.
247Sports and Rivals rank Knutson as a 3-star recruit. In addition to UVa, the Indiana standout also received scholarship offers from Illinois, Indiana, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Miami (OH), Toledo and Western Michigan.
Virginia now boasts nine verbal commitments in total in the class of 2016. Knutson is the first offensive line recruit in the class, joining one quarterback (Sonny Abramson), one running back (Tre Harbison), three wide receivers (Cole Blackman, Neru NShaka and Joseph Reed), one tight end (Andrew Trainer), one linebacker/athlete (Landan Word), and one “athlete” (Nick Grant).
Stay tuned to TheSabre.com for more on Virginia’s newest commitment in the coming days. In the meantime, check out his junior season highlight package below.
