Important Recruiting Week Ahead for ‘Hoos

Recruiting is certainly not the hot topic of the week – far from it – but, beginning with this weekend and heading into next week, there likely will be a flurry of activity featuring several of Virginia’s top remaining targets. This weekend, Virginia seems primed to land its 17th verbal commitment for the 2008 recruiting class.

Maryville (TN) quarterback Brent Burnette plans to arrive in Charlottesville later today for his official visit. If Virginia offers a scholarship to the 6-3, 215-pound senior – something that is expected to happen this weekend – there is a very good chance that he accepts, thus giving the Cavs another commitment for the 2008 class. Should Burnette land the offer and the visit goes well, a commitment could come as early as Sunday.

Burnette, who is undefeated in his high school career, earned Class 4A Mr. Football back honors for his senior season performance. Extremely accurate, he completed 69-percent of his passes while throwing for 3,521 yards and 38 touchdowns. He threw only seven interceptions in leading Maryville to its fourth consecutive state championship.

With its 2007 starter, red-shirt sophomore Jameel Sewell , not enrolled in school for the spring semester and perhaps out for the fall as well, the need for a quarterback in this class became apparent. Originally, the staff had decided not to take a quarterback in this class after several of its top targets chose other schools.

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