Analysis: What do the three top gets mean for UVa's 2019 class?
Over the weekend, Virginia's recruiting class took a big step in the right direction. Not only did head coach Bronco Mendenhall gets his first four-star commit as the head coach in Charlottesville but UVa got its first such verbal in 1,471 days.
Needless to say, as the class has quickly turned into one of the nation's top 30 it certainly has the attention of fans starving for football success.
Not long after Gonzaga linebacker Hunter Stewart joined the fold, Rivals100 four-star defensive tackle Jowon Briggs (No. 57 overall nationally) followed suit. Later that night, three-star Gulliver Prep standout D'Sean Perry made his commitment to the Hoos public as part of what eventually was a seven-player haul split over two classes.
We reached out to the three Rivals analysts from their respective regions to the get the intel on how they see these three prospects and the way they will fit once they arrive on Grounds.
Rivals.com's Adam Friedman:
"Well, I'm a bigger fan of Hunter than most," Friedman said. "Every time that I've seen him, he's gotten better and better. He could be a true inside linebacker but this is the kind of guy that I think is going to be the next Micah Kiser for Virginia. He's just a tackling machine. Every time I've seen him in a game, he's recorded double-digit tackles. He just seems to be all over the field. I know we've got him listed as an outside linebacker right now but he really could play any of those linebacker positions at Virginia. I'm just really impressed with his football instincts, the way he's able to finish the play, he just seems to be in the right place at the right time. He's fast enough, strong enough, and just understands what is happening in front of him and how he needs to react.
"I'd love to see a little bit more speed," he added, "and a little bit more physical development. With his frame, I think he can fill out a little bit more. I think he could be a little bit faster. And I think Virginia's got the game plan for him off the field there so he can develop like that. But as far as his game, I really expect him to be a multi-year starter for Virginia and be that tackling machine that they're losing with Kiser."
Rivals.com's Josh Helmholdt:
"We thought enough of Briggs as a sophomore," he said, "that we gave him a rare underclassmen invite to the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge. When we saw him in May at the Rivals 3-Stripe Camp in Ohio, though, there was obvious and substantial improvement even over where he was a year ago. He was always strong and had that quick first step, but he’s learned to dominate and understands the finer points of playing the position better.
"His size and style ideally fit the zero-technique nose guard role," Helmholdt added. "He could play a three-technique DT role if needed, but his ideal spot is head-up over the center where he can utilize that strength and quickness to collapse the pocket and blow up the A gap."
Rivals.com's Rob Cassidy:
"I last saw Perry at Florida State's camp a few weeks ago," Cassidy said, "and it's clear that he is putting on muscle. He had the attention of the FSU staff and was probably on the verge of earning an offer there. He has an incredible frame and will continue to add muscle to it.
"His issue is that he is caught between positions at the moment," he added. "I could see him as a hybrid pass-rusher type but once he gets into a college condition program and gets some coaching when it comes to his footwork, he could blossom. He has a wealth of physical traits you can't coach and carries tremendous upside because of that."
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