Three-star DT Gillespie makes a connection in Charlottesville
While the recruiting world is in a weird state of flux right now as the dead period continues until at least the end of May, prospects in the class of 2021 are trying to sort through a range of things.
For 6-foot-2, 310-pound three-star defensive tackle James Gillespie, a trip he took to Charlottesville for a junior day prior to the coronavirus outbreak has left him with plenty to think about.
“I was at UVa for the first time last year when they played Pitt,” the Woodbridge native recalled. “It was a night game. So, this was my first like actual visit there.”
So what did he think of all that he saw?
“The main thing that I took away from the visit for me was that it’s a great school in my home state where I can go and succeed,” Gillespie told CavsCorner recently. “Everywhere I’ve been was not in the same state I live in. So, that’s just a two-hour drive. I mean, that’s close.”
The Cavaliers obviously have a new assistant coach leading the defensive line room and it seems like former Wahoo great Clint Sintim really left an impression on the northern Virginia prospect.
“When I was talking to Coach Sintim, he was talking to me about how you can go anywhere but some of [the schools], they’re already in a spot where things are good," Gillespie said. "So, it would be better for me to come to UVa and be a part of a program that is building and is on the rise, to help establish it as a powerhouse. That means a lot more to people than just going to a place that’s already good.
“I had a one on one conversation, along with my mom and dad, with Coach Sintim and he was talking to me about the things I’m looking for in a school,” Gillespie added. “So we talked about that. Then afterwards we ate and played some kickball and went to the game.”
Considering his experience as a player at Virginia, Sintim offers a unique point of view and one that recruits like Gillespie seem to really appreciate.
“I’ve only been talking to him for a little bit, obviously,” he said. “He’s trying to keep everything real and he’s not trying to sell me on things that other people will tell me. He talks a lot about his story and his background, how he got to the league and why he’s not playing anymore. That's really tough but it shows a lot about him.”
Another thing that left an impression was playing kickball against the other recruits, something he says was new to him on a visit.
“I’ve never had that before,” he said with a laugh. “Yeah, it was fun. It got really competitive really fast. Like, at first I think everybody wasn’t real sure, like they didn’t know how to be. But by the end? Everybody was locked in, man. It got competitive for real.”
On the drive home, that conversation really resonated with Gillespie and his family. So too did the fact that they weren’t going to be in the car for very long.
“They really like how close to home it is and how it’s not far to get to,” he said. “It’s about two hours from my house, plus I’ve got a grandma who lives down there, in Louisa.”
Obviously the pandemic has caused a lot of issues for recruits and canceled a slew of potential visit opportunities. Gillespie is certainly in that spot too, seeing as how his school's planned week-long bus trip with teammates is now likely scrapped.
As he tries to move forward, what kinds of things does he expect will play a role in his decision?
“I want good people around me,” Gillespie said. “I want people who are going to help develop me into a great man and a great player. I want that on and off the field. I want to get to know the coaching staffs and the players a lot more, because the players aren’t going to lie to you about how the program really is.”
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