James Monroe DB Aidan Ryan Staying Home With Commitment To Virginia

By: Chris Horne |

James Monroe (Fredericksburg, VA) standout Aidan Ryan originally planned to announce his college commitment on October 30 – his mother’s birthday – of his senior year. The 6’1”, 190-pound defensive back prospect decided instead to announce his decision today, Mother’s Day.

Ryan’s Mother’s Day gift is that he is staying in-state for college and attending the University of Virginia. The Rivals and 247Sports 3-star prospect has verbally committed to the Hoos over offers from Louisville, Vanderbilt, Appalachian State, East Carolina, James Madison, Liberty, Old Dominion, Princeton, and Temple. He considered scholarship offers from those schools and many others.

In an interview with TheSabre.com last month, Ryan spoke high of the combination of athletics and academics his now future school presents.

“UVA has always been a program that I’ve been really interested in, just everything about it is attractive to me,” said Ryan, who estimated that he has visited Charlottesville seven times. “The education, the atmosphere on campus, and the football team most of all.”

“Every time I went it got better and better,” Ryan added.

The Cavaliers’ resurgence under head coach Bronco Mendenhall “showed me a lot,” Ryan said. “It showed me that the team is full of hard workers that are willing to do whatever it takes to improve and never stay complacent. They want to go from good to great. I fully believe that all starts with Coach Mendenhall’s leadership and his ability to reach out to the players and influence them to be the best player and person they can be.”

Virginia now boasts 13 commitments in the class of 2021, including four prospects from the Commonwealth. Ryan is being recruited by the Hoos as a defensive back. He plays numerous positions at James Monroe, though, including quarterback, wide receiver, defensive back and kick returner. Ryan earned all-region 3B honors for his play at defensive back last season as a junior.

“My favorite position is safety and it’s also where I think I have the most potential to be an impact player one day,” Ryan said.

Virginia Football’s Class of 2021

Ryan gives Virginia another versatile prospect who has demonstrated success at multiple positions on the gridiron. Ryan shows good acceleration, toughness, and plays a physical brand of football. He is a proven leader at his school and will fit in well with the culture Mendenhall has established.

Position-wise, he obviously likes safety, and I think that is where he will stick once he gets to UVA.

– Jesiah Davis, Wide Receiver, Providence Day (Charlotte, N.C.)
– Malachi Fields, Athlete, Monticello (Charlottesville, VA)
– Amaad Foston, Running Back, John Milledge Academy (Milledgeville, GA)
– Micah Gaffney, Cornerback, Spanish Fort (AL)
– Michael Green, Linebacker, Lafayette (Williamsburg, VA)
– Hugh Laughlin, Defensive Lineman, Athens Academy (Athens, GA)
– Langston Long, Safety/Linebacker, Christ School (Arden, N.C.)
– Josh McCarron, Outside Linebacker, Archbishop Murphy (Everett, WA)
– Jacob Rodriguez, Dual-Threat Quarterback, Rider (Wichita Falls, TX)
– Aidan Ryan, Defensive Back, James Monroe (Fredericksburg, VA)
– William Simpkins III, Defensive Back, Quince Orchard (Gaithersburg, MD)
– West Weeks, Linebacker, Oconee County (Watkinsville, GA)
– Jay Woolfolk, Dual-Threat Quarterback, Benedictine (Richmond, VA)