Virginia Football Recruiting Notes: Camp News, Visits & More

By: Chris Horne |

The University of Virginia football program’s June 8 “Friday Night Lights” camp had a European flair.

A large contingent of European prospects have been touring colleges and attending camps within the past week, making trips to schools such as Florida, Georgia, Rutgers and Virginia, among others. The group visited UVA on June 4 before returning to Charlottesville on June 8 to perform in front of head coach Bronco Mendenhall and company.

Three of those prospects – all class of 2019 recruits – came away from Virginia’s camp boasting scholarship offers from the Cavaliers.

KARIEM AL SOUFI, OL/DL, GERMANY

Al Soufi, who is listed as being 6’4”, 340 pounds, reports offers from Virginia, Florida and Towson. Click here to view a highlight from his Rutgers camp performance.

MARTIN VEINBERG, OL, Finland

Virginia, Florida, Washington State, Towson and Old Dominion have offered the massive offensive tackle, who checks in at 6’8″, 320 pounds.

LUKE WENTZ, QB, Germany

The 6’3”, 205-pound Wentz reported a 4.53-second hand-timed 40 at Boston College’s camp. He also reports Virginia as the first school to extend a scholarship offer.

SYLVAIN YONDJOUEN, DE/OLB, Belgium

The 6’4”, 230-pound Yondjouen has received all five of his scholarship offers – Virginia, Western Michigan, Towson, U-Mass and Old Dominion – within the past two weeks.

Yondjouen seemed to enjoy his initial experience in Charlottesville.

Fortune, Robinson Cut Lists

Cox (Virginia Beach, VA) athlete Tayvion Robinson, who is considered one of the top overall prospects in the state of Virginia’s class of 2019, posted his “Final 6” last Friday, June 8. The 5’11”, 175-pound rising senior has UVA in his top group, which also includes Virginia Tech, Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio State and South Carolina.

Robinson has been on Grounds previously. However, national recruiting outlet 247Sports currently lists Virginia Tech as the favorite for the talented athlete.

A player with potential on both sides of the ball, Robinson saw time at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, defensive back and returner his junior season. He tallied over 1,600 yards of offense and 21 touchdowns, returned three interceptions for scores, and added a punt return touchdown. Robinson earned first-team all-Tidewater honors for his performance on the gridiron. He would earn second-team All-Tidewater honors in basketball as well this past year.

Rivals ranks Robinson as a 4-star recruit and the No. 7 player in the state’s class of 2019. 247Sports has him on the 3-star level and the No. 13 rising senior in the Commonwealth.

A day after Robinson released his list, Central Gwinnett (Lawrenceville, GA) rising senior cornerback Nicktroy Fortune tweeted his top six schools. The University of Virginia makes the cut along with Georgia Tech, Georgia State, Iowa State, Rutgers and West Virginia.

The 6’0”, 170-pound prospect reportedly will take an official visit to UVA beginning June 22. He was in Morgantown on June 6 visiting West Virginia, a trip he raved about in this tweet.

More Virginia Football Recruiting Notes

– Hawaii native and new St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.) rising junior quarterback Sol-Jay Maiava participated at UVA’s June 8 camp. Coach Mendenhall had already been sold on the dual-threat standout prior to the camp, offering a scholarship on January 20 of this year.

Maiava played alongside UVA incoming freshmen Samson Reed and Micah Mariteragi at Kahuku High School in Hawaii last year.

– Deerfield Beach (FL) prospects made their way to Charlottesville this past weekend. Bryce Gowdy (6’2”, 200-pound WR) and Deajaun McDougle (5’10”, 170-pound WR) are two of the school’s top class of 2020 prospects who made the trek. Class of 2019 linebacker Ge’mon Eaford, who measures in at 6’2”, 215 pounds, was on Grounds as well and received some good news.

Eaford, a 4-star recruit, boasts offers from some of the nation’s top programs, including Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma, among others.

– Virginia hosted top class of 2019 offensive tackle target Walter Rouse over the weekend. The 6’6”, 280-pound rising senior out of Washington (D.C.) also visited Pittsburgh.