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FOOTBALL
RECRUITING 2007-08

Coach: Al Groh

2008 Virginia Signees:

Recent Recruiting Rankings (By Rivals.com): No. 12, No. 20, No. 40, No. 19, No. 39, No. 25 under Al Groh from 2002-07.

Consensus Prep All-Americans: CT ATH Torrey Mack.

Interesting Story: Tight end Rod Wheeler attends Highland Springs High, which has served as a pipeline to archrival Virginia Tech for several years. The Cavaliers offered scholarships to a handful of Highland Springs prospects in recent years, but Wheeler is the only one who signed with Virginia during the era of former head coach Scott Burton. Burton recently accepted a job as an assistant to former UVa defensive coordinator Mike London, who just took over at Division I-AA Richmond.

Top Recruiters: Linebackers/special teams coach Bob Diaco did some damage in his northeastern recruiting territories, snagging the top prospect in the state of Connecticut, Torrey Mack, and top-20 prospects from New Jersey in safety Ausar Walcott and tight end Bill Schautz.

States Represented (9): Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia.

Academic Worries: few.

Key Misses: GA OL Omoregie Uzzi (Georgia Tech), PA RB Cameron Saddler (Pittsburgh), MD S Okechukwu Okoroha (Boston College), NC OL R.J. Mattes (N.C. State), VA WR Randall Dunn (Virginia Tech), GA OL Cordy Glenn (Georgia), VA WR Dayon Arrington (East Carolina), DC DE Ugochuckwu Uzodinma (Illinois), FL WR Derek Winter (Auburn).

Quotable Quote: "There are players in this class at each position that are as talented as any players who have preceded them. There is a very good level of athletic ability within the class. If we could stock our team with players from Richmond, Lynchburg, Salem, Hampton, wherever it might be, that would be our preference. Each year brings a different set of circumstances in terms of the talent available at the position we’re looking for, the academic circumstances and what not. We have to get what we need to get around here, wherever it might come from."
— Virginia coach Al Groh

Virginia Football Recruiting Articles (Links):

Tory Allen profile — Atlanta Journal-Constitution

UVa staff finishes recruiting efforts — Charlottesville Daily Progress

Javaris Brown signing story — Macon Telegraph

Javaris Brown signing story/video — 13WMAZ.com

Steve Greer feature — Cleveland Plain Dealer

Steve Greer feature — Charlottesville Daily Progress

Torrey Mack feature — Connecticut Post

Torrey Mack feature — Stratford Star

Torrey Mack feature — Charlottesville Daily Progress

Virginia recruiting breakdown — Washington Post

"Great Bridge’s Great Day" Michael Price mention — Norfolk Virginian-Pilot

UVa goes out of state — Lynchburg News & Advance

Riko Smalls — Dallas Morning News

Riko Smalls commitment feature — Charlottesville Daily Progress

Rod Wheeler — Charlottesville Daily Progress