Breaking down UVa's 2023 class update at the halfway point
Virginia’s football coaches are wrapping up their summer break as July moves along and fall camp is right around the corner.
Currently recruiting is in a bit of a pause as a lot staffs work through the dead period from now until the end of August. UVa had a busy June and now sits at 11 total commits midway through the summer.
With the 2023 class about halfway done if not maybe more, today we’re taking a look at the talent UVa has committed and how those 11 players might look in the orange and blue.
Offense
Quarterback
St. Petersburg, FL
We’ll start off with UVa’s most-recent commit, and the first quarterback to choose the Wahoos in the Tony Elliott era. Virginia was able to flip the Florida native from Middle Tennessee State last week. Colandrea also held offers from Arkansas State, Utah State, Western Kentucky, and others. The Lakeland High QB camped at UVa and earned his offer but took his time before choosing the Wahoos.
Colandrea was a bit under the radar or didn’t pick up a bunch of Power-5 offers, but he can play. On tape, he shows off a very quick release, good movement in the pocket, and a strong arm. It seems relatively obvious that his size (Colandrea is listed as 6-foot-1 but looks a little smaller on tape) may have held him back from getting a bunch of bigger offers. But landing Colandrea is a nice win for Elliott and QB coach Taylor Lamb, as the Sunshine State product has the tools to become a quality ACC starter.
Donte Hawthorne ⭐⭐⭐
Running Back
Fredericksburg, VA
Hawthorne was one of Elliott’s earliest commits in the 2023 class and the first of two running backs to choose the Wahoos. A Fredericksburg native who flew under the radar as a recruit, UVa offered early and closed out his recruitment. It’s easy to see what Virginia’s offensive staff liked, too. Playing as an option quarterback at Massaponax High, Hawthorne was the team’s top rusher and showed great running instincts that should translate to his new position.
For his senior season, Hawthorne is transferring to Colonial Forge in Stafford, where he should see more time as a running back. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, he projects as a strong between-the-tackles rusher that also has adequate speed to make plays in space.
It may take time for Hawthorne to develop as he gets more exposure to the position but he could prove to be a nice find for UVa’s staff.
Noah Vaughn ⭐⭐⭐
Running Back
Maryville, TN
Virginia added its second running back over the summer when the Tennessee native committed to the Wahoos after a visit to Charlottesville. Vaughn had a big junior season at Maryville High last fall and started to pick up some interest this year.
In addition to the offer from Virginia, Vaughn was also offered by Army, Navy, Rice, and a bunch of Ivy League programs among others. The 5-foot-9 back has impressive film, showing quick cutting ability at the line of scrimmage and enough speed to run away from chasing defenders.
Vaughn has a different build and skill set than Hawthorne, so it’s easy to see why the Cavaliers would take both. Vaughn is also a guy who can make an impact in the return game, which could help him get on the field a bit quicker.
It’s clear that the new staff wants to put more emphasis on the running game and taking both Vaughn and Hawthorne makes a statement that the staff wanted to add talent and depth to that position group in this class.
Amare Thomas ⭐⭐⭐
Wide Receiver
Pinson Valley, AL
The Wahoos have just one receiver in the class thus far, with the three-star Thomas choosing UVa on June 17. He visited Charlottesville just before his announcement, a trend among commits in this class. Thomas, an Alabama native, chose the Cavaliers over offers from USF, Tulane, UAB and an early offer from Penn State.
At 6-foot, 195 pounds, Thomas looks like an ACC-caliber player on tape and has a versatile skillet. “They say they like how I’m a hybrid,” Thomas told Rivals after picking UVa. “That I can play slot and outside and I could really strive in their offense.” Thomas could definitely end up as an inside or outside receiver and shows flashes of speed, strength, and natural receiver instincts.
This was a nice get for UVa and Thomas is the type of receiver that could thrive in Elliott’s offense.
TeKai Kirby ⭐⭐
Tight End
Fort Lauderdale, FL
UVa added another potential sleeper to the class as well as a Cavalier legacy when the Cavaliers landed Kirby last month. The son of former UVa running back Terry Kirby, the Florida tight end made the call for the Hoos on June 24 after earning an offer at camp. Kirby had been to Charlottesville several times and did enough to impress the coaching staff to earn the offer he coveted.
Kirby doesn’t have a lot of film in games, as he plays at prep powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas in South Florida and was behind several other talented players on the depth chart. But in the clips we have seen, Kirby seems like a strong athlete that may be headed towards a breakout 2022 season. He also has the athleticism to do what is required in the H-back role in Elliott’s offense, a position he could end up playing in a few years time. It also doesn’t hurt to grab another UVa legacy and someone at a school that produces as much talent as STA does.
Cole Surber ⭐⭐⭐
Guard
Nokesville, VA
Virginia’s first commit in the 2023 class is its only offensive line commit thus far. Surber committed to UVa in late April, choosing the in-state Hoos over offers from Tennessee, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pitt and many others. UVa was the first to offer him back in 2021 and the relationship between he and Garett Tujague paid off in the end.
Surber seems to be bought into helping make Elliott’s vision for the program a reality, and has been one of the more active commits on social media doing some recruiting of his own.
He projects as an interior lineman once he gets on Grounds, which will be an interesting thing to track. UVa took a lot of linemen at the end of the 2022 recruiting cycle, so Surber may be the only offensive line commit in this class or perhaps one of two or three signees on the front. Landing him after several visits to Charlottesville was a great way to kick off the class and the Patriot High School standout will be a great addition to the young offensive line group.
Defense
Rodney Lora ⭐⭐⭐
Defensive Tackle
Kearny, NJ
Although he is native of the Garden State, the Woodberry Forest defender sort of counts as another in-state commit for the Wahoos. Lora had a lot of interest throughout his recruitment and UVa won out over his other finalists of Rutgers, UNC, Michigan and Indiana.
This was another example of Virginia winning out in a competitive recruitment for an in-state player and Lora told CavsCorner that nobody recruited him harder or cared more about his recruitment than the Cavaliers did.
The WFS star projects as a defensive lineman, though his exact position is up in the air at this point. “The coaches love my flexibility and athleticism,” Lora told CavsCorner. “I have been recruited for O-Line and D-Line, but UVa likes the way that I move for my size on defense. I can see myself playing either tackle or end.”
Getting Lora was a big deal for a number of reasons, most importantly that his talent along the defensive front is exactly what UVa needed in this class.
Miles Greene ⭐⭐⭐
Defensive End
Highland Springs, VA
Speaking of talent on the D-line, the Henrico native helped kick off a good month of June for the Cavaliers on the recruiting trail, picking the Hoos on the 6th. Greene was coming off of a visit that sealed the deal for UVa, as the Hoos beat out offers from Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Duke, and others. Greene was an all-state player as a junior at talent-rich Highland Springs, another great school for UVa to have a presence with.
Greene and Lora form a solid duo of commits on the defensive line in the 2023 class. Greene slots in as a defensive end and has a great blend of athleticism and tools that he can unleash when he gets to Charlottesville.
“When I get to UVa, I hope to bring some finesse and speed to the defense front, while still staying aggressive,” Greene told CavsCorner. “Also, I will bring a lot of leadership qualities. I have my own swag. As a leader of the defense, I want to make sure we are having fun as well.”
Kamren Robinson ⭐⭐⭐
Linebacker
Tappahannock, VA
Virginia also kicked off July with a big-time commitment, when the talented linebacker chose Virginia over Virginia Tech and Tennessee. While Robinson is a talented player and a great addition for the Cavaliers, this is also a great recruiting win for the new staff and a sign that they can hang with their competition, especially within the Commonwealth.
Virginia received an official visit from Robinson and were able to hold off in-state rival Virginia Tech, despite the fact that the Hokies got the last visit. Robinson is ranked as the seventh best player in Virginia for 2023, and assuming he signs with UVa would be the first top-10 Virginian to end up in Charlottesville since Bryce Carter, and only their second since Jahvonni Simmons signed his LOI way back in 2015.
Robinson drew a lot of interest and for good reason. The three-sport star flies around the field on tape for Essex High in Tappahannock. Robinson could play as an inside or outside linebacker, showing great pursuit speed on film. He also plays with an edge, something that UVa’s defense could certainly use in the years to come. Robinson is UVa’s top-ranked commit at this point and was a big recruiting victory for the Wahoos.
Jarvis Lee ⭐⭐⭐
Cornerback
Green Cove Springs, FL
The same weekend that Greene was in Charlottesville, Lee came up from the Jacksonville area to check out the Hoos. UVa’s coaching staff was able to impress him enough to earn his commitment following that visit. Lee was also being recruited by Missouri, Iowa State, Pitt and others, and called off planned official visits elsewhere and ended his recruitment by choosing the Cavaliers.
Lee was the first defensive back to commit to UVa in this class and seems like a player that could make an impact early in his career. He looks like a natural at cornerback, showing good speed, range and ball skills for Clay High School, though he’ll play his senior year at IMG which should prepare him well for the next level. Also, like Vaughn, Lee also has experience in the return game and showed great vision and speed on those plays as well.
This was a nice get for UVa, going into Florida and getting a coveted player to make the trip to Charlottesville before sealing the deal.
Keandre Walker ⭐⭐⭐
Cornerback
Denver, NC
Last but not least, Walker became UVa’s second defensive back to commit when he made the call on June 27, the same day as Vaughn. A North Carolina native and three-star prospect, Walker chose the Cavaliers over offers from Air Force, Army, JMU and others, as interest began to pick up early in the summer.
Walker is a rangy 6-foot-2 defensive back who didn’t allow a touchdown in his junior season. On tape, he shows both athleticism and instincts, and had a number of interceptions where he played off the receiver and baited the quarterback into a bad throw that he picked off. With the ball in his hands, Walker shows long strides and can really move. And as a defensive back, he showed great pursuit and skills to break up contested passes.
Walker has the size to eventually become a safety as well but seems to be a cornerback first at this point.