Three-star Starling recaps his whirlwind week, OV to Virginia
The week was going along just about as expected. That is, at least, until it wasn’t. In the blink of an eye, three-star wide receiver Demick Starling had a lot to think about.
And now, the 6-foot, 171 pounder is coming off a stellar official visit ahead of a Signing Day that he really didn’t see coming.
“It was real, real crazy,” Starling told CavsCorner of finding out that UVa was interested. “It was very surprising. It was the last week before Signing Day and it was like a dream come true in a lot of ways, to have a school like that come in and want to talk to me.
“I had no idea,” he added. “It happened so quick and the process was so fast, it felt kind of unreal to me. I was telling my coaches and my parents, man, it was just so unexpected. So, when it happened it was a lot to process and all.”
Starling said he first heard from regional scout Jordan Arcement and then wide receivers coach Marques Hagans, who came to Nashville (TN) East Nashville to watch a workout. From there, things moved quickly.
“UVa reached out to me and then Coach Hagans came out, watched me work out,” Starling explained. “He watched me run some routes and things, check my hands out, check my footwork. Then he did a home visit with me and my parents and my grandparents, and then we set up the flight for Friday and the official visit for this weekend.”
That trip, which his mother and grandmother took with him, wasn’t just based on Starling’s interest in Virginia but also the instant connection he felt with Hagans.
“He’s a very honest, very humble man,” Starling said. “And he’s very family oriented. When I got there, I got a big hug from his two sons and that just showed me how good a father he is, how good a man he is, how good a mentor and leader he is, by the way his kids act and the way his kids welcomed me like family.”
Being in Charlottesville allowed Starling to get a great feel of things, which is precisely what he needed.
“We went around the facilities and toured everything,” he said. “I got to see the football fields and the things, the basketball arena, got to see Charlottesville, and I learned a lot about the school. The education there, it’s not just a prestigious school but they set a high standard for you even as a football player.”
Hosted by rising senior Terrell Jana, Starling took with him a great sense of the program based in large part on how Jana’s counsel rang true to him.
“One thing that he talked me about was just how best to make the most of it,” Starling said. “He told me that when you get where you’re going, make sure you find someone who is going to help you be the best. Find someone who is going to keep you on track. Find someone who is going to keep you grounded and make sure you work. That really stood out to me. I’ve been on a lot of visits but no one has ever said that to me.”
Getting to spend time around the other players, as well as the coaches, helped him as well.
“I met up with the offensive coaches, the coordinator, and the special teams coach,” he said. “It was like a big family, honestly. They’re all there to support each other and the support the players and everything and they show a lot of love. I like the way Coach Hagans takes what you’ve got and help you build on that. He helps you do that from the ground up.
“My speed,” Starling said when asked what UVa likes about his game. “My speed and my athleticism. I think that’s why they like me most. They see me fitting in on the outside.”
And there’s the time that Starling spent with head coach Bronco Mendenhall. As has become Virginia’s custom, Starling went to Mendenhall’s ranch and got a chance to do something he’s never done. And in so doing, he believes he learned a lot about the program.
“I actually rode a horse for the first time with Coach Mendenhall,” he said. “He’s a great coach and a great person. I’ve been around a lot of coaches and he’s one that is very humble, very interactive with his players and with his coaches. That really stood out to me. And he taught me how to ride a horse. That he actually took that time, to teach me how to ride a horse, that was something cool.
“I think I was,” Starling added when asked if he was any good on the horse. “I feel like a cowboy now.”
As things wrap up this week, he goes into a planned announcement on Wednesday with a good sense of where things are.
“I just want to go to a place where I can grow as a man, as a player, somewhere I can perfect my craft and somewhere that will help me after college whether that’s playing in the league or just finding a career,” Starling said.
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!
