Two days, two offensive line commitments for the University of Virginia football program. The latest pledge comes from Gilman (Baltimore, MD) offensive tackle Stephen Spanellis, a 2014 private school first-team all-state selection and consensus 3-star recruit who also considered scholarship offers from Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
“Excited to announce that I have made the decision after consulting my parents and my coaches, to commit to continue my studies and play football at the University of Virginia. #GoHoos #Wahoowa,” Spanellis wrote in a statement. “I would like to thank everyone who helped me get to this moment, including my parents, all my coaches at Gilman, including coaches Poggi, Payne, Gouline, Foreman, and McGregor, my teammates, and all of my former coaches with the Bel Air Terps, the Harco Horns, and the Bel Air Wildcats, my current and former teachers at Gilman, Hickory elementary, and Bel Air middle. And a special thank you to all the coaches who thought highly enough of me to recruit me. I appreciate it.”
Spanellis, a rising senior, becomes commitment no. 16 for Virginia in the class of 2016. The 6’5″, 310-pound prospect is the second offensive line commitment UVa has landed in as many days, joining Colorado rising senior Dillon Reinkensmeyer, who pledged yesterday. The Hoos have a commitment from a third rising senior offensive lineman in Ben Knutson, but as I wrote in this morning’s Strategy Session feature, the coaches probably aren’t finished addressing the offensive line position in this class.
Below is Spanellis’ tweet regarding his decision to commit to the Hoos, as well as his junior season highlight video. His commitment comes just over two weeks after he and his parents took an unofficial visit to UVa on June 14.
It's official, i've made my decision pic.twitter.com/7RnvxUSFZW
— Stephen Spanellis (@Big_Spanellis78) June 30, 2015