Earlier this month, UVa picked up commitment No. 1 of the 2026 recruiting cycle when A.C. Reynolds (NC) signal caller Ely Hamrick announced his decision to be a Hoo after a trip to Charlottesville for the Maryland game.
After committing to Tony Elliott and Co., CavsCorner caught up with Hamrick to discuss his decision to commit to the program.
For Hamrick, the decision was a long time coming, at least relatively speaking.
The Cavaliers entered Hamrick's recruitment in June after he had a strong camp showing. Impressed by the Asheville native, the Cavaliers offered him and immediately became a team to watch in his recruitment.
Since the offer, Hamrick had developed a strong relationship with the Cavaliers coaching staff but especially with quarterbacks coach Taylor Lamb. With that being said, Hamrick's decision to commit to the Hoos was already made coming into his visit for the game against the Terps.
"I officially made my decision about a month ago," he said. "I wanted to make sure that it was truly the place that I wanted to be. I knew before I got to the visit that I was going to commit. Seeing the game day atmosphere solidified that decision.
"Some of the most important factors for me was the coaching staff meeting and getting to know Head Coach Tony Elliott, Coach Lamb, and Coach (Des) Kitchings," he added. "I knew that was who I wanted to play for."
Hamrick tells CavsCorner that he talks to the coaching staff on a very frequent basis. He talks with Lamb three or four times a week and usually talks to Elliott once a week as well.
Notably, Hamrick also has another key relationship that benefited the Cavaliers: 2025 quarterback commitment Bjorn Jurgensen. Jurgensen and Hamrick both work with Orlando-based QB trainer Baylin Trujillo.
The North Carolina quarterback also liked how could potentially fit in the Cavaliers due to the style of play.
"I think that I will fit very well into their offense," he said. "We have a bunch of playmakers so I will just need to get it in those guys hands."
So far this season for A.C. Reynolds, Hamrick has completed 57 of 106 passing attempts, a 53.8% completion percentage for 847 passing yards and seven touchdowns. He also has 33 carries for 141 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns.
