The State of Virginia had 11 Rivals.com 4-star prospects in the 2025 class, which is three more than they had in 2024.
Virginia Tech
Once again, Virginia Tech had the most commits with 12 of the Top 44 recruits (Rivals 3-stars or higher). The Hokies have signed the most recruits in-state that the last four years I have done this annual article, and it seems to coincide with Virginia Tech assistant Coach Fontel Mines joining the staff.
The Hokies signed eight of the Top 25 Virginia prospects including two Rivals.com 4-star prospects. Christian Evans is the biggest haul coming in at #5 in the State rankings. The Defensive tackle from Stone Bridge was Class 5 1st team All-State. Evans was coached by former Washington Redskins defensive tackle Kedric Golston during his senior year.
Running back Jeffrey Overton Jr is a Rivals 4-star and the #8 prospect in the Virginia rankings. Overton was a two-time VHSL Class 6 State Player of the Year in his sophomore and junior seasons at Freedom High School.
Green Run High School in Virginia Beach is represented with three commits in 3-star Defensive End Zeke Chinwike, 3-star receiver Jayden Anderson and 3-star athlete Khahlij Harrell.
Turner Ashby 3-star receiver Micah Matthews was a South Carolina baseball commit but will attend Virginia tech to play football.The Hokies added two offensive linemen with 6-foot-8 Carter Stallard from Christiansburg and 6-foot-5 Nathaniel Wright from Forest Park going to Blacksburg.
Virginia Tech signed the State's two top linebackers in Brennan Johnson from Highland Springs and Brett Clatterbaugh from Eastern View.
In the secondary, the Hokies signed Sheldon Robinson from Woodberry Forest and locked in Oscar Smith defensive back Jahmari Deloatch who had originally committed to Cincinnati.
Virginia
UVA will have five newcomers from the Rivals State Top 44 coming to Charlottesville. Rivals.com 3-star receiver Dillon Newton-Short at #15 is the highest ranked player on the list. As a senior, Newton-Short had 68 receptions for 1092 yards and 17 touchdowns. He scored 46 touchdowns and had 2830 yards in three years on varsity.
The Cavaliers also added athlete Chris Spence from Kempsville, running back Xay Davis from Collegiate, linebacker Montino Williams from Matoaca and receiver Isaiah Robinson from Trinity Episcopal.
Clemson
Clemson landed the #1 recruit in running back Gideon Davidson who was the 3A State Offensive Player of the Year. Davidson led leading Liberty Christian Academy to back-to-back State titles and made All-State on offense and defense. He finished his senior year with 2341 yards and 37 rushing touchdowns on 264 carries while adding another 174 yards and four touchdowns receiving. For his career Davidson had 5057 yards and 86 touchdowns.
The Tigers also got the #4 recruit Ari Watford and the #10 recruit lineman Easton Ware from Liberty Christian Academy. Watford won back-to-back State championships with Maury and was selected 1st team All-State. He finished his senior year with 10 sacks for the Commodores
Ware earned All-State honors as a sophomore, junior and senior. He was 1st team All-State on both the offensive and defensive lines as a senior. He helped Liberty Christian Academy to back-to-back State championships.
Finally, the Tigers added Rivals 3-star receiver Juju Preston from Hayfield. He was All-State as a sophomore and junior after catching 85 total passes, for 1767 yards and scoring 30 touchdowns.
Maryland
The Maryland Terrapins signed three prospects in the Virginia Top 10 highlighted by the #2 ranked player Safety Messiah Delhomme from Warwick.
They also signed the #6 prospect Offensive Tackle Jaylen Gilchrist from Salem (VB) and the #9 prospect linebacker Carlton Smith from Maury.
Delhomme missed his senior year but was 1st team All-State as a sophomore and junior. Gilchrist was a 2-time 1st team All-State Offensive lineman. Smith was the Clas 5 State Defensive Player of the Year.
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh also secured triple commitments with wide receiver Bryce Yates from Matoaca, wide receiver Emmanuel Taylor from Green Run and cornerback Cole Woodson from Battlefield High School.
South Carolina
South Carolina finished with two defensive commits from #11 prospect 4-star Kendall Daniels and #26 defensive end Caleb Williams from Matoaca.
Wake Forest also had two commits: both offensive linemen. Loudoun Valley tackle Will Saba and tackle Jaishaun Offutt from John Handley will be teammates for the Demon Deacons.
Penn State
Penn State also pulled two recruits led by Powhatan Tight End Matt Henderson who was #7 ranked prospect in the State. Henderson could follow the journey of Virginia native Tyler Warren who was drafted in the 1st round of the NFL draft from Penn State.
I.C. Norcom receiver Matthew Outten, the #21 prospect in the State, also signed with the Nittany Lions after 1st committing to Virginia Tech. He was selected 1st team Class 3 All-State at receiver.
Wake Forest
Wake Forest recruited the state and grab two bookend 3-star offensive lineman. Loudoun Valley 3-star Will Saba was the 14th ranked prospect and John Handley Offensive Lineman Jaishaun Offutt (6-foot-4, 315) was the #31 ranked prospects.
ACC Commits
The only quarterback ranked in the Rivals Virginia Top 44 was Maury 2-time State champion Au'tori Newkirk who was selected the Class 5 State Offensive Player of the Year. Newkirk signed to play for North Carolina.
Tuscarora had two ACC signees with 3-star Safety Tristan Treasdell who signed with North Carolina State and 3-star Rceiver Dawson Pough who signed with Boston College.
.William Fleming 3-star Running Back Malachi Coleman signed with Syracuse while
Big Ten Commits
Thomas Dale 4-star Shamari Earls was the #3 ranked player in the State and after initially committing to South Carolina, Earls signed with Michigan
Dinwiddie athlete Harry Dalton kept his commitment to Southern Cal. The 2-time State offensive Player of the year had 2243 yards passing and 1425 yards rushing as a senior including accounted for 48 touchdowns.
Rivals 3-star Lebron Bond won two State championships at Maury and signed to play football at Indiana University. Bond was selected All-State after making 63 catches for 938 yards and 16 touchdown receptions. As a junior, Bond made All-State with 47 receptions for 1327 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Furthermore, his dynamic abilities enable him to make an impact in the return game, as seen in the form of eight kick/punt returns racking up a whopping 494 yards and 5 TD's in 2024.
St Michael's safety Remington Moss was one of the first to commit from the 2025 class and he stayed with his decision signing with Wisconsin. Moss won a State championship and helped his team reach the title game last season while being selected All-State
Others
Huguenot edge Samuel Cohen should start an assembly line of top D1 recruits signing from the Forest Hill Avenue school. Cohen had offers from Notre Dame, Louisville and Virginia Tech signed with Liberty University.
The Ivy League secured a top prospect when Rivals.com 3-star Reed Phillips from Episcopal committed to Harvard.
