Mendenhall's counsel, UVa's use of LBs were big in Stewart's decision

Some time ago, four-star Gonzaga linebacker Hunter Stewart had figured he was ready for this recruiting thing to wind down. He thought it was time to commit and so he talked to Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall about his desire to pick the Wahoos.

And at that time, instead of putting pressure on the 6-foot-3, 225 pounder, Mendenhall treated him like he would his own. He wanted Hunter to know for sure.

"It was a while back," Hunter told CavsCorner, "I was talking to Coach Mendenhall about committing, he told me he wanted me to see other places until I really knew for a fact that UVa was the place for me. So I took his advice and I did that and then after that it just reassured me that that was the right place for me to go."

It's safe to say that Mendenhall's response was a big reason why he chose the Hoos last Friday, becoming the first four-star player to commit to the Cavaliers in more than 1,400 days.

"It played a major role in it," Hunter admitted. "It told me a lot. It told me he was looking out for the player himself rather than just his team."

Hunter's commitment kicked off a huge weekend for Mendenhall and Co. but it wasn't something he saw coming.

"No, I really didn't," he said with a laugh. "I knew other recruits would be there but I didn't know it would be what it was with a lot of people committing."

His own commitment certainly wasn't a surprise. He arrived on Grounds explicitly to announce from Charlottesville while also gathering more information about the program.

"So at first, I got to meet with Coach Mendenhall and just talk to him and that was the first time I've seen him in person since I committed over the phone," Hunter said. "Then after that I went and talked about the architecture program because that's what I want to major in. So I got to talk with them and then I went out to eat with my family after that."

The announcement itself highlighted a quote that Hunter says he gave to the staff about his reasoning.

"They asked me what were my core reasons for why I committed and then what I wrote was basically that, the core values behind why I committed to UVa," he said.

The way people reacted to his news certainly won't be something he forgets anytime soon.

"That was real cool," Hunter said. "I got a lot of support from the community and the fans on Twitter and stuff, had a couple other items from like local news places around UVa, so that was real nice."

While the program might have gone years without a four-star commit, the Cavaliers only had to wait a few hours for the one after Hunter as four-star Rivals100 DT Jowon Briggs. The moment he too picked the Hoos came as a surprise.

"When Jowon actually committed was when we were out to eat with everyone," Hunter said. "I was in the room when it happened. Everyone was eating and he told the D-line coach that he was ready to commit and that was real cool. That was real exciting. I had no idea."

As he looks to the future, Hunter said one of the biggest reasons he chose Virginia was the way the staff uses its linebackers in a 3-4 scheme he believes he fits well.

"They think with my frame, I could play all of the four linebacker positions," he explained. "The big thing was like how they utilize their linebackers. They use their linebackers very well at UVa and that was a major part of my decision."

The comparisons to former Cavalier great Micah Kiser have flooded in since Hunter's commitment. It's a compliment he said he's very happy to hear.

"Yes, like him and Chris Peace," Hunter said, "they used them really well, always blitzing them and really highlighting what they can do. They'll really help you if you're trying to get to the next level."

With his decision made and the drama of recruiting behind him, it's no wonder Stewart is ready to focus on what's ahead.

"It's a big stress reliever," he said. "Before, you always had text messages from coaches to call them and talk to them. But now, it's really calm. When you're committed, it's like really calm and that's what you want especially going into your senior season. It's really peaceful. Just imagining having to deal with that during the season, it would have been really stressful. I'm just glad to have my decision made and know I'm going to UVa."

Between now and when he arrives on Grounds next summer, he's got a senior season where he hopes to make a lot of strides on the field.

"Just overall, being aggressive as possible and playing with my hands," he said. "This year our defense is going to pretty much have the exact same defense coming back so we're able to do a lot more going. You're going to see me in a lot of new places on the field."

JOIN CAVSCORNER TODAY!

If you are not already a member of CavsCorner, come join us and see what all of the buzz is about.

Click HERE to subscribe and get all of the latest news and join hundreds of other UVa fans in talking about Cavalier football, basketball, and recruiting. You won't be disappointed!