Virginia Football Adds Two More 2023 Commitments

TeKai Kirby picked up his first Division I scholarship offer from Virginia last week. He didn’t need too long to think about it. Kirby committed to the Cavaliers on Friday, six days after announcing the offer.

Kirby announced his decision on Twitter.

My Dream Has Become A Reality to Have This Opportunity to Be Committing To The University Of Virginia! ⚔️ @Coach_TElliott @CoachHarriott @CoachChrisSlade @STA_Football @coachdeskitch @UVAFootball @TerryKirby42 @Kerry_Kelly23 pic.twitter.com/IZUrfjZETs

— TeKai Kirby (@TeKai_Kirby) June 24, 2022

A tight end prospect out of St. Thomas Aquinas in Florida, Kirby is rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports. He has seen limited action so far in his high school career as part of the loaded STA program. He made 2 catches for 17 yards and a touchdown in 2021 per MaxPreps. At least one article projects him as one of the “up and coming future stars” at tight end in the area.

Kirby has added weight to his 6’4” frame in recent years and reported a gain up to 220 pounds on Hudl where his profile also touts a 4.56 40-yard time. He attended camp at Virginia where he picked up that offer and then chose to follow in some famous footsteps. His father Terry Kirby starred at running back for UVA in the 1990’s and rushed for more than 1,000 yards in both 1990 and 1992.

The Cavaliers have brought in other recent recruits from St. Thomas as well. Dawson Alters and Blake Steen joined the program as two freshmen offensive linemen this month. They picked Virginia as part of an O-Line recruiting blitz this offseason that brought in six scholarship players and two walk-ons as part of the 2022 class. With new UVA coaches establishing an offense that may feature two tight ends at times, adding Kirby from the STA list makes sense as a position of need. Karson Gay was the only scholarship tight end in the 2022 class.

UVA dipped into another recruiting pool with a familiar face on Friday as well. Rodney Lora, a three-star recruit out of Woodberry Forest where former Hoo captain Jackson Matteo is now the head coach, also announced his commitment on Twitter.

Let’s go!⚔️@UVAFootball pic.twitter.com/AOFgAcuPJC

— Rodney Lora (@RodneyLora) June 24, 2022

This commitment also addresses a position of need as UVA signed only one defensive lineman in the 2022 class in Alabama recruit Terrell Jones. Bryce Purnell joined the program as a preferred walk-on with the D-Line as well.

Lora had significant interest from other Power 5 programs with offers from North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Indiana, and more. 247Sports rates him as the No. 17 prospect in Virginia and as the No. 78 defensive lineman nationally. The 6’4”, 270-pound prospect is from New Jersey originally. He missed most of his junior season with a turf toe injury. Check out his Hudl profile here.

These are the sixth and seventh commitments for the 2023 recruiting class. Patriot High School (Virginia) offensive lineman Cole Surber (6’6”, 280 pounds) became the first to commit in late April. Massaponax (Virginia) running back/athlete Donte Hawthorne followed suit in early May. Most recently, Clay High School (Florida) cornerback Jarvis Lee, Highland Springs (Virginia) defensive lineman Miles Greene, and receiver Amare Thomas (Alabama) joined the list earlier in June.