Signing Day 2014: Steven Moss

Signee: Steven Moss

Offensive lineman, Chancellor

6-foot-5, 273 pounds

Rankings: Four-star (5.8), No. 18 offensive guard in the nation, No. 12 prospect in the Virginia Postseason Top 35.

Other offers: Moss chose UVa over offers from Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Penn State, Virginia Tech and many others.

How he chose UVa: Virginia emerged as the overwhelming favorite for Moss late last spring and he committed to UVa on March 23 while on Grounds for a spring practice. Although his recruitment picked up steam after his junior season, it became more and more clear even with offers piling up that Charlottesville is where Moss wanted to be. The talented lineman told CavsCorner that his recruitment came down to UVa and South Carolina, but the allure of playing close to home was important to him. In committing, the Fredericksburg native became the first offensive lineman to make the call for the Hoos in the 2014 class.

Moss formed bonds with many UVa recruiting targets, including fellow 2014 signee Quin Blanding. The friendship between Moss, Blanding and other Cavaliers like Taquan Mizzell proved to be huge for Mike London and the Hoos in landing Moss. The four-star lineman also has a great relationship with offensive line coach Scott Wachenheim, who was his lead recruiter.

Why he matters: Moss is an elite talent at the guard position who has also played some tackle. At the time of his commitment, Rivals had Moss ranked as the No. 89 overall prospect in the nation. He fell in the rankings in part because he struggled at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge in Chicago last summer but he's still recognized as one of the nation's top interior linemen. In the Semper-Fidelis Bowl last month, Moss had a solid performance and played a lot at the tackle position. Though he could be a tackle at the next level, depending on how much bigger he gets once he enters into Virginia's strength training program, it seems more likely that he'll stick at guard. Like most linemen, Moss will be a candidate to redshirt as a freshman but he has the talent to be a multi-year starter on the offensive line at UVa.

With an improved burst off the ball and a rugged style that borders on "mean," Moss will add the strength he needs to excel at the next level.

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