Virginia Football Set To Close Out Its 2018 Recruiting Class

By: Chris Horne |

The start of Division 1 football’s regular signing period, formerly the much celebrated and highly anticipated National Signing Day, is Wednesday, February 7, and the University of Virginia football program will be putting the finishing touches on its class of 2018.

With the 2018 Class being the first to have an early signing period, there isn’t quite as much excitement surrounding this first Wednesday in February. For UVA, most of its 2018 Class was filled during the early signing period, which took place December 20 through December 22. Nineteen players signed with the Hoos during that time, and four of those prospects – quarterbacks Brennan Armstrong and Bryce Perkins, offensive lineman Bobby Haskins, and outside linebacker Noah Taylor – have since enrolled on Grounds.

There were three high school seniors who had verbally committed to Virginia before the early signing period but chose not to sign in December – St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) cornerback DJ Brown, Harding Academy (Memphis, TN) offensive lineman Will Lawrence, and Kahuku (HI) offensive lineman Micah Mariteragi. Mariteragi had never seen Virginia before, so he wanted to take his official before signing. The 6’5”, 265-pound standout did so in January and is 100-percent solid in his pledge.

Kahuku offensive lineman Micah Mariteragi is expected to make his commitment to Virginia official on Wednesday, February 7.

Meanwhile, Brown has since de-committed from UVA and is now expected to sign with California, Northwestern or Notre Dame. Lawrence’s future is very much in doubt as well, as there is speculation that he may give up football. 247Sports no longer lists him as a Virginia commitment on the eve of the regular signing period getting underway.

So far, Virginia’s on-field success in 2017 has not resonated in terms of closing out the class of 2018. At least not yet. The Cavaliers hosted two defensive line recruits on official visits. However, Sandalwood (Jacksonville, FL) standout Jordan Miller picked Miami just days after his UVA official, and Hawaii native Aaron Faumui told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that he will sign with Hawaii.

There are some storylines we’ll be following, though. Virginia is in the final three along with Florida and Notre Dame for touted H.D. Woodson (Washington, D.C.) cornerback Noah Boykin, who will reveal his decision at 11:30 a.m. EST. Many feel he’ll sign with Florida, but Virginia has not yet been eliminated heading into Signing Day. A Boykin signing would be great for Virginia, which has seen its lion’s share of injuries at cornerback in Coach Bronco Mendenhall’s first two seasons in Charlottesville. He would give the Hoos another talented defensive back who has the potential to play early on in his collegiate career.

We’ll provide updates on Boykin and others as they come in, so stay tuned to this page throughout National Signing Day. Below is a full rundown of UVA football’s 2018 Class, including the Lawrence and Mariteragi commitments.

UPDATES

8:00 a.m.

– DJ Brown announced his commitment to Notre Dame.

11:10 a.m.

– The first piece of good news from the Hoos! Virginia football announces the addition of Rutgers graduate transfer OL Marcus Applefield.

12:00 p.m.

– Virginia was generating some buzz with regards to consensus 4-star cornerback Noah Boykin. It was not to be, however, as the H.D. Woodson (Washington, D.C.) star chose Notre Dame over the Cavaliers and Florida. Nice final push from the staff, but just missed out.

12:30 p.m.

– More good news! Kalani Takase, prep sports reporter for Scoring Live, reports that Hawaii native and class of 2018 defensive line prospect Aaron Faumui has signed with Virginia over Hawaii. Our sources indicated that Faumui initially committed to UVA (or planned to commit) while on his official visit in January. The following week he told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser he would stay home and sign with Hawaii. It appears UVA has gotten him, though, and he helps address a big position of need.

2:05 p.m.

– Faumui is officially announced!

2:55 p.m.

– Micah Mariteragi is announced as the final member of UVA’s class of 2018.

UVA’s 2018 Class

Marcus Applefield, Offensive Lineman, 6’5″, 308 pounds, Weeki Wachee (FL)/Rutgers (Graduate Transfer)
Status: SIGNED

Brennan Armstrong, Dual-Threat Quarterback, 6’2″, 210 pounds, Shelby (OH)
Rivals and 247Sports Composite 3-star
Status: ENROLLED

Jaylon Baker, Cornerback, 6’2”, 165 pounds, Baylor (Chattanooga, TN)
Rivals and 247Sports Composite 3-star
Status: SIGNED

Joe Bissinger, Offensive Lineman, 6’4″, 300 pounds, Memorial (Houston, TX)
247Sports Composite 3-star, Rivals 2-star
Status: SIGNED

Derek Devine, Offensive Lineman, 6’6”, 285 pounds, North Allegheny (Wexford, PA)
247Sports Composite 3-star, Rivals 2-star
Status: SIGNED

Aaron Faumui, Defensive Lineman, 6’1″, 270 pounds, Kapolei (HI)
247Sports Composite 3-star, Rivals 2-star
Status: SIGNED

Javar Garrett, Linebacker, 6’2″, 205 pounds, The Peddie School (Hightstown, N.J.)
Rivals and 247Sports 3-star
Status: SIGNED

TC Harrison, Linebacker, 6’3”, 205 pounds, Collins Hill (Suwanee, GA)
Rivals and 247Sports Composite 3-star
Status: SIGNED

Bobby Haskins, Offensive Lineman, 6’7”, 260 pounds, The Hun School (Princeton, N.J.) by way of Fairfield Prep (Fairfield, CT)
Rivals and 247Sports Composite 3-star
Status: ENROLLED

Tavares Kelly, Wide Receiver/Returner, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL))
Rivals and 247Sports 3-star
Status: SIGNED

Billy Kemp, Wide Receiver, 5’9″, 170 pounds, Highland Springs (VA)
247Sports Composite 3-star and Rivals 2-star
Status: SIGNED

Micah Mariteragi, Offensive Lineman, Kahuku (HI)
247Sports Composite 3-star, Rivals 2-star
Status: SIGNED

Grant Misch, Linebacker, 6’4”, 230 pounds, Potomac Falls (Sterling, VA)
247Sports Composite and Rivals 3-star
Status: SIGNED

Ugo Obasi, Wide Receiver, 6’1″, 180 pounds, Milford Mill (Baltimore, MD)
Rivals and 247Sports Composite 3-star
Status: SIGNED

Hunter Pearson, Placekicker, 6’3”, 200 pounds, Seneca (S.C.)
Rivals and 247Sports Composite 3-star
Status: SIGNED

Bryce Perkins, Dual-Threat Quarterback, 6’3″, 215 pounds, Arizona Western College (Yuma, AZ) via Chandler High School (AZ) and Arizona State University
247Sports Composite 3-star
Status: ENROLLED

Jordan Redmond, Defensive Lineman, 6’1″, 290 pounds, Osceola (Kissimmee, FL)
Rivals and 247Sports Composite 3-star
Status: SIGNED

Samson Reed, Defensive Tackle, Kahuku (HI)
Rivals and 247Sports Composite 3-star
Status: SIGNED

Noah Taylor, Linebacker, 6’5”, 200 pounds, Avalon School (Gaithersburg, MD)
Rivals and 247Sports Composite 3-star
Status: ENROLLED

Wooby Theork-Youmans, Wide Receiver, 5’10”, 170 pounds, Naples (FL)
Rivals and 247Sports Composite 3-star
Status: SIGNED

Martin Weisz, Offensive Lineman, 6’6”, 305 pounds, The Benjamin School (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
Rivals and 247Sports Composite 3-star
Status: SIGNED

Joseph White, Defensive Back, 6’2”, 175 pounds, Landstown (Virginia Beach, VA)
Rivals and 247Sports Composite 3-star
Status: SIGNED

1 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. Virginia has to be able to move out of the 60’s down into at least the 50’s if not the 40’s in recruiting in order compete for a Coastal division championship.

Comments are closed.