Virginia Football Scores Its First Offensive Line Commit In The 2019 Class

Offensive lineman Jonathan Leech announced Monday evening (June 18) that he has given a verbal commitment to the University of Virginia football program. Leech is a product of Mill Creek High School, which is familiar territory to head coach Bronco Mendenhall and company, who landed center Tyler Fannin from the Hoschton (GA) school in the class of 2017.

“I have made a big decision today to further my education and football career at the University of Virginia,” Leech wrote in this tweet. “I would like to thank all my coaches who have helped me with this [whole] process. I would also like to thank my stepdad and mom for taking me to so many places to see where I wanted to go. Thank you to all the coaches and schools that have recruited me.”

We knew Virginia offensive line coach Garett Tujague was excited Monday afternoon, when he tweeted …

It appears we now know the reason why. The 6’5″, 275-pound Leech, who saw time at right and left tackle and earned second-team all-region 6-7A honors for Mill Creek last season, becomes Virginia’s first offensive line commitment in the 2019 Class.

Offensive line recruiting has been a priority for Mendenhall since he took the Virginia job in December of 2015. He managed to hold onto Ben Knutson and Dillon Reinkensmeyer, two likely significant members of the Cavalier offensive line rotation this coming season, in the class of 2016. Both originally committed to previous coach Mike London. UVA then inked five offensive line recruits apiece in the class of 2017 and 2018. Don’t be surprised to see another large number of offensive linemen in this class as well.

Virginia offered Leech on May 29. He also claimed offers from Syracuse, Maryland and SMU, among others, before deciding on the Cavaliers. All four of the specific offers mentioned came during the month of May.

Courtesy of Hudl.com, here are highlights from Leech’s junior season as well as his performance in the North-South All-Star game.

Virginia Football’s 2019 Class

Josh Ahern, Linebacker, Lake Braddock (Burke, VA)
Emil Bo Andersen, Defensive Lineman, Denmark
Antonio Clary, Defensive Back, Sandalwood (Jacksonville, FL)
Dorien Goddard, Wide Receiver, (Greeneville, TN)
– Jonathan Leech, Offensive Lineman, Mill Creek (Hoschton, GA)
Seneca Milledge, H-Back/All-Purpose Back, Dunbar (Fort Myers, FL)
Jairus Satiu, Linebacker, Skyridge (Lehi, UT)
Tiquest Terry, Wide Receiver, Blacksburg (VA)
Major Williams, Dunbar (Fort Myers, FL)