The University of Virginia football program is enjoying some early in-state recruiting success in the class of 2021. The Hoos’ latest class of 2021 pledge reportedly is Monticello (Charlottesville, VA) athlete Malachi Fields, who according to 247Sports.com gave Cavalier head coach Bronco Mendenhall a verbal commitment on Saturday (March 21).
The 6’4”, 200-pound junior is UVA’s fourth verbal commitment in the class of 2021. One of those commitments is dual-threat quarterback/athlete Jay Woolfolk, who attends Benedictine High School in Richmond. Another – linebacker Langston Long – attends Christ School in North Carolina but is a native of Woodbridge, Virginia.
Fields is rated a 3-star prospect by 247 Sports, which currently ranks him as the no. 35 junior in Virginia and the no. 107 “athlete” prospect in his class. The 6’4”, 200-pound junior has been Monticello’s starting quarterback each of the past two seasons. He earned 2019 All-Jefferson District First Team honors at quarterback and kick returner and earned 2019 All-Region 3C honors at kick returner.
Former Monticello head coach Jeff Lloyd told the Charlottesville Daily Progress in this article last September that Fields “is the only kid that I have ever coached that could play every offensive or defensive position, besides lineman, and be the best player at that position. The scary thing is he has another year.”
Virginia reportedly is recruiting Fields as a receiver. At the time of his commitment he also had offers from Liberty and VMI.
Virginia Football’s Class of 2021
– Malachi Fields, Athlete, Monticello (Charlottesville, VA)
– Amaad Foston, Running Back, John Milledge Academy (Milledgeville, GA)
– Langston Long, Safety/Linebacker, Christ School (Arden, N.C.)
– Jay Woolfolk, Dual-Threat Quarterback, Benedictine (Richmond, VA)
Assuming wide receiver is his projected position at UVA, Fields shows good size and speed for the position. Virginia has pursued bigger receivers in the past few classes, including 6’5″ Nathaniel Beal III, 6’3″ Dorien Goddard, and, in last year’s class, 6’7″ Lavel Davis. In addition to playing quarterback, cornerback and returner, Fields has also played wide receiver at Monticello.
Fields discussed playing receiver in the Daily Progress article linked here (check out the full article for a more in-depth look at the future Hoo).
“Playing quarterback helps with playing wideout, because when I run my routes, I know where the ball is going to be and when and where to look for the ball,” Fields said. “Playing wideout helps with quarterback because I know when to throw the ball when my receivers are coming out of their breaks.”
