Three-star CB Gaines breaks down decision to pick Virginia
Less that three weeks before he was scheduled to sign with Penn State, three-star cornerback Elijah Gaines decided to follow his gut and back off that commitment in an effort to find a place that fit him better.
Now, the Episcopal standout is coming off an official visit to Virginia that included him committing to the Cavaliers and doing just that.
Gaines, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound defensive back, chose the Hoos over a host of other offers as well as the option to take his recruitment beyond the Wednesday’s early signing day.
It all started, Gaines told CavsCorner shortly after announcing his decision, with a desire to find the right situation.
“Honestly, I just felt like I wanted to look into different schools,” he explained. “I wanted to look at schools that would develop me more as an athlete and help me academically as well. Penn State’s a great school and all and I liked the coaches and the players but I felt like me pursuing my options would be the best thing for me. And so I opened up my recruitment.
“Once I did that,” Gaines added, “I reached out to UVa and UNC. With UVa, I talked to Coach (Nick) Howell and we talked and he asked me ‘Honestly, do you want to come here?’ and at that time I just wasn’t in the frame of mind to make a decision. I had just decommitted from Penn State, after all. My head wasn’t in a clear space at that time. But going on this visit, meeting with the coaches and players and seeing how it really is, that’s what made me want to commit.”
Instead of pushing forward a few weeks ago, Gaines took his time. He scheduled the official visit and he continued to talk to Howell and the Cavaliers. That led to this past weekend when UVa—which was the first school to offer—made its case.
“I wouldn’t say there was one specific moment [when the decision was clear],” he recalled. “I would say, though, that what stood out to me most was the whole trip itself. I thought the whole trip was great. My sister and my mom, they thought the whole tripe was great. They loved it. I’ve been to UVa two times before this, once earlier last year for a junior day and then for the Miami game during one of the breaks I had from school.
“So, I had already seen a little bit of the campus and things and I had already met all of the coaches and sat down with them for a good 35, 45 minutes,” Gaines added. “They explained who they were and how long they had been together, things like that. That means that when I came this weekend, it was like getting to see old friends again. They’re just, like, family. They treated me like family. And I felt like I’ve known them for so long.”
Hosted by junior CB Nick Grant, one of the things that Gaines said really stood out was the way he got along with the current players.
“When I got there Friday, we had lunch and then had some down time at the hotel but when I was with Nick and the other guys, I got to see the campus and I got to see the freshmen dorms and all but that time with the players, that was big,” he said. “I got to just hang out with the guys, chilling and listening to music and talking, playing video games and watching TV and stuff. It’s just a cool vibe, just to see how college life was at UVa and to see how the players interact with each other.”
Gaines went into the trip thinking UVa was the right fit, so he didn’t need to spend too much time in Charlottesville before he came to his decision and let Bronco Mendenhall know he was in.
“They picked us up from the hotel at like 8:45 in the morning [Sunday] and we came out to Coach Mendenhall’s house,” Gaines said. “I got to see what his house looked like, see all the horses and everything. And then we sat down and he asked me some basic questions and one of them was how I felt about my recruitment. But by that point, I had already made up my mind. I had decided the night before.
“I really liked the vibe at UVa, I really liked the coaches, I liked the players, I like what they’ve got going on here, everything is earned not given,” he added. “So when Coach Mendenhall asked me how I felt about UVa and what I was thinking, I just said ‘Coach, I’m going to commit’ and he was excited. Coach Howell was next to me with a big grin on his face. It was really cool.”
Part of what Virginia has going on, of course, is a program that continues to add to its win totals every year, a fact that Gaines is acutely aware of.
“That said a lot to me,” he said of the 2019 season “They came to UVa four years ago and that first season they were 2-10, then they were 6-6, third year they were 8-5, and this year they beat Virginia Tech, they won the ACC Coastal, and they got to the ACC Championship.
“Every year,” Gaines added, “they’re getting better. Every year, they’re doing things they haven’t done. They’re perfecting their craft. It played a big role and was a big factor in my decision. It just goes to show how good this coaching staff is and how much the players put in. I like what they’ve got going on. They’re on the rise for sure.”
So, once he arrives on Grounds, will Gaines be a cornerback for the Hoos or is there a shot he could play safety?
“When Coach Howell first started recruiting me he told me he liked me at corner,” he said. “When we talked this past weekend, he said that he wants to throw me in at corner and try that first but he actually thought I could play either spot. He’s real confident in me at corner, though. He said he likes my build and that I remind him a lot of Bryce Hall.”
After having to restart his recruitment and now having found his next home, Gaines is just a few days from making it official.
“Honestly, I’m ecstatic,” he said. “I feel so blessed. I am blessed to be in this position and I thank God for all the opportunities he’s given me. When I told the coaches my decision, I just felt real happy. On the train ride coming back to school, I was too. I’m just happy. My parents are happy. Coaches are happy. It’s crazy that this is all sinking in and on Wednesday I’ll sign and be done with everything.”
Though his recruitment didn’t exactly play out the way he might have expected, Gaines still came away excited for what’s next.
“Everything happens for a reason,” he said. “And I’m happy to be signing with UVa.”
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