The Virginia football program signed a state of Illinois prospect in 2024 with offensive lineman Grant Ellinger. The Hoos went back to the state for its latest commitment in the Class of 2025 on Friday. This time Wilmette’s Donovan Robinson out of Loyola Academy made the call for UVA.
Robinson, the seventh commit in the cycle, made the announcement on social media. He had visited UVA twice this year prior to making his choice.
1000% Committed Go Hoos @EDGYTIM @AllenTrieu @UVAFootball @RivalsPapiClint @Coach_TElliott @jsperos @KoachAdams pic.twitter.com/epa1tIk1Ea
— Donovan Robinson (@DonovanRob11) April 19, 2024
For Virginia, this pick-up addresses the defensive side of the ball. Robinson projects as a linebacker but his 6’3″, 210-pound size fits the mold of the types of versatile defenders defensive coordinator John Rudzinski loves in his schemes. The latest example this spring has been transfer Corey Thomas Jr., a 6’4″, 215-pound graduate student that lists at safety but could be deployed at linebacker or in certain pass-rush situations. Young linebackers like sophomore Kam Robinson (6’2″, 227 pounds) and true freshman Myles Brown (6’3″, 195 pounds) have a similar profile as well.
UVA relied on its linebackers to make a lot of plays last season as James Jackson (6’3″, 236) and Robinson ranked second and third on the team in tackles with 80 and 71 respectively. Donovan Robinson should be comfortable with that as he made 36 tackles with 5 pass breakups for Loyola’s State Championship team last fall.
Virginia has started to shape its success plans at linebacker with this commitment. Kam Robinson and Landon Danley (6’2″, 199) from the Class of 2023 came in one year ahead of Brown, who enrolled this January as part of the Class of 2024. Donovan Robinson’s commitment builds the next link in that chain. This also adds to the defensive side of the ball for the cycle. He’s the second player projected to defense alongside defensive back Christopher Spence. Robinson ranks as a 3-star recruit and as the No. 23 prospect in the state of Illinois.
High school highlights for Robinson can be found on his Hudl profile here.
Discuss it on the message board
