The UVA football program signed 20 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent (NLI) for the 2019-20 academic school year, head coach Bronco Mendenhall announced.
Highlighting the class are four signees from the Commonwealth of Virginia, while student-athletes from nine other states or districts also signed with the Cavaliers. UVA’s recruits come from Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, South Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
The next period for signing football student-athletes begins on Feb. 6, 2019.
2019 Football Recruiting Class
- Josh Ahern LB 6-3 215 Burke, Va. Lake Braddock HS
- Nathaniel Beall III WR 6-5 200 Houston, Texas Strake Jesuit College Prep
- Jowon Briggs DL 6-2 286 Cincinnati, Ohio Walnut Hills HS
- Chayce Chalmers DB 6-2 208 Gainesville, Va. Stonewall Jackson HS
- Antonio Clary DB 6-0 200 Jacksonville, Fla. Sandalwood HS
- Fentrell Cypress II DB 6-0 173 Rock Hill, S.C. Northwestern HS
- Tenyeh Dixon DB 6-0 185 Washington, D.C. Woodson HS
- Dorien Goddard WR 6-3 222 Greeneville, Tenn. Greeneville HS
- RJ Harvey QB 5-10 182 Orlando, Fla. Edgewater HS
- Mike Hollins RB 5-10 214 Baton Rouge, La. University Lab HS
- Ja’Quay Hubbard OL 6-6 330 Sharpsville, Pa. Sharpsville HS
- Nick Jackson LB 6-2 222 Atlanta, Ga. The Lovett School
- Jonathan Leech OL 6-5 270 Hoschton, Ga. Mill Creek HS
- Seneca Milledge RB 5-6 170 Fort Myers, Fla. Dunbar HS
- D’Sean Perry LB 6-3 223 Miami, Fla. Gulliver Prep
- Ben Smiley III DL 6-4 280 Chesapeake, Va. Indian River HS
- Hunter Stewart LB 6-3 220 Alexandria, Va. Gonzaga College HS
- Zachary Teter OL 6-5 290 Lakeland, Fla. Lake Gibson HS
- Dontayvion Wicks WR 6-2 195 Plaquemine, La. Plaquemine HS
- Major Williams DB 6-0 176 Fort Myers, Fla. Dunbar HS
Bios
Josh Ahern
6-3 • 215 • LB
Burke, Va. • Lake Braddock HS
Played linebacker and tight end at Lake Braddock High School for head coach Mike Dougherty … was a first-team all-region linebacker in 2018 as a senior after finishing with 183 tackles … also earned first-team All-Northern Virginia honors and second-team All-Met … 2017 first-team all-conference, all-region and all-area honoree … helped lead Lake Braddock to the conference championship in 2017 and a third-place finish in the region after tallying 182 tackles … son of Michel and Pete Ahern … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
Nathaniel Beal III
6-5 • 200 • WR
Houston, Texas • Strake Jesuit College Prep
Played wide receiver at Strake Jesuit College Prep for head coach Klay Kubiak … was a 2018 unanimous first-team all-district honoree after making 31 receptions for 691 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior … averaged 22.3 yards per reception as a senior in 2018 … in nine games in 2017 he made 25 catches for 590 yards and three touchdowns … averaged 23.6 yards per reception as a junior … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
Jowon Briggs
6-2 • 286 • DL
Cincinnati, Ohio • Walnut Hills HS
Played defensive tackle at Walnut Hills High School for head coach Gerry Beauchamp … selected to play in the 2019 Under Armour All-America Game at Camping World Stadium … a first-team all-state honoree after making 54 tackles and six sacks … named the ECC’s Defensive Player of the Year … earned first-team SWO District … as a junior he made 47 tackles, three sacks and was named first-team All-ECC and second-team All-SWO District … also is a thrower on the track & field team … squats over 700 pounds … an ESPN Top 300 recruit … rated a four-star recruit by ESPN.com, 247Sports.com and Rivals.com … rated the No. 60 overall recruit in the nation and No. 3 defensive tackle by Rivals.com … rated the No. 68 overall recruit in the nation and No. 7 defensive tackle by 247Sports.com … rated the No. 82 overall recruit in the nation and No. 11 defensive tackle by ESPN.com … son of Dalila and Jowon Briggs.
Chayce Chalmers
6-2 • 208 • DB
Gainesville, Va. • Stonewall Jackson HS
Played safety and wide receiver at Stonewall Jackson High School for head coach Carroll Walker … named first-team all-region as an all-purpose defender … named first-team All-Cedar Run District as an all-purpose defender … as a senior in 2018 he posted 60 tackles and four interceptions, returning one for a touchdown … also recorded 1.5 sacks and blocked a punt … recorded six receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown … as a junior in 2017 posted 77 tackles, one interception, one sack and one blocked punt … named first-team all-district as a junior and second-team all-conference defense as a sophomore … also runs indoor and outdoor track … as a junior he qualified for the state indoor tournament in the 300m and outdoor in the 100m and 200m … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com … son of Jakia and Marvin Chalmers Jr. … father, Marvin, played wide receiver at Utah and Wake Forest … grandfather, Marvin Chalmers Sr. played shortstop at North Carolina A&T.
Antonio Clary
6-0 • 200 • DB
Jacksonville, Fla. • Sandalwood HS
Played safety and wide receiver at Sandalwood High School for head coach Adam Geis … finished 2018 with 53 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks and three interceptions … earned first-team All-Cedar Run District honors as a utility player in 2017 … all-conference honoree as a sophomore … also runs track at Sandalwood … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
Fentrell Cypress II
6-0 • 173 • DB
Rock Hill, S.C. • Northwestern HS
Played cornerback and wide receiver at Northwestern High School for head coach James Martin … made 31 tackles and recorded two interceptions as a senior … also broke up 24 passes as a senior … played in the 2018 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas senior all-star game … made 48 tackles and four interceptions as a junior … also broke up 35 passes as a junior … also runs track and won the 2018 Region 4-AAAAA championship in the 100 meters … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
Tenyeh Dixon
6-0 • 185 • DB
Washington, D.C. • Woodson HS
Played defensive back at Howard D. Woodson High School for head coach Greg Fuller … his pick-six clinched a Turkey Bowl overtime victory for his Woodson team over Ballou, 18-12, in 2018 … his pick-six sealed Woodson’s fifth Turkey Bowl win in six seasons … a two-star recruit by Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
Dorien Goddard
6-3 • 222 • WR
Greeneville, Tenn. • Greeneville HS
Played wide receiver and defensive line at Greeneville High School for head coach Caine Ballard … helped Greeneville to the 2018 TSSAA 4A state championship with a 15-0 record with 78 receptions for 1,320 yards and 14 touchdowns … named region co-offensive player of the year in 2018 … he helped Greeneville win back-to-back state championships … he leaves Greeneville with multiple records including single-season receiving yards, career receptions, career receiving yards and career touchdowns … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
RJ Harvey
5-10 • 182 • QB
Orlando, Fla. • Edgewater HS
Played quarterback at Edgewater High School for head coach Cameron Duke … accounted for 48 total touchdowns, including 25 rushing touchdowns and 23 passing touchdowns in 2018 … passed for 1,787 yards and rushed for 1,376 yards as a senior … was 21-5 in his career as the starting quarterback … led Edgewater to a state semifinal appearance in 2018 after his class went 0-10 in 2016 as sophomores … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com … son of Juliet and Robert Harvey.
Mike Hollins
5-10 • 214 • RB
Baton Rouge, La. • University Lab HS
Played running back and linebacker at University Lab High School for head coach Chad Mahaffey … led University Lab to back-to-back 3A state championships in 2017 and 2018 … earned MVP honors of the 2018 state championship game after rushing 27 times for 237 yards and four touchdowns … also caught five passes for 47 yards and a score in the state title game … finished senior season with 1,645 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns on the ground … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
Ja’Quay Hubbard
6-6 • 330 • OL
Sharpsville, Pa. • Sharpsville HS
Played offensive tackle at Sharpsville High School for head coach Paul Piccirilli … two-time all-state offensive lineman … finalist for Pennsylvania’s ‘Mr. Football’ … helped Sharpsville reach the District 10 championship game … also plays basketball … a four-star recruit by Rivals.com … three-star recruit by ESPN.com and 247Sports.com.
Nick Jackson
6-2 • 222 • LB
Atlanta, Ga. • The Lovett School
Played linebacker and wide receiver at The Lovett School for head coach Mike Muschamp … made 95 tackles, 10 tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks and caused one fumble in 2018 as a senior … also made 26 receptions for 406 yards and three touchdowns … recorded 57 tackles, 3.0 sacks and caused one fumble as a junior in 2017 … made 26 tackles and 8.0 tackles for a loss as sophomore … also made 26 receptions for 406 yards and three touchdowns in 2016 … will graduate with 72 career receptions for 1,224 receiving yards and nine touchdowns … averaged 17.0 yards per reception for his career … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
Jonathan Leech
6-5 • 270 • OL
Hoschton, Ga. • Mill Creek HS
Played offensive line at Mill Creek High School for head coach Trent Slear … was a 2018 first-team all-county selection after helping Mill Creek to an 8-4 record and a second-round appearance in the state tournament … attends the same high school as current UVA center Tyler Fannin … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
Seneca Milledge
5-6 • 170 • RB
Fort Myers, Fla. • Dunbar HS
Played running back and cornerback at Dunbar High School for head coach Sam Brown … rushed 74 times for 678 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2018 … logged three games a senior with 100+ rushing yards … also caught 10 passes for 96 yards in 2018 … also made 34 tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss and recovered one fumble as a senior … graduates with 2,132 career rushing yards and 27 touchdowns … rushed for 843 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior … also owns 17 career receptions for 348 yards and two touchdowns … was 26-of-55 passing for his career for 427 yards and two touchdowns … played in the 2018 Rotary South All-Star Classic … took the 2A state title in the long jump in 2018 with a jump of 7.19 meters … was county champion in the long jump and triple jump, and a district champ in the 100 meters … is cousins with fellow signee Major Williams … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
D’Sean Perry
6-3 • 223 • LB
Miami, Fla. • Gulliver Prep
Played linebacker, defensive line and tight end at Gulliver Prep for head coach Earl Sims … named the South Florida Conference’s 2018 Defensive Player of the Year … finished his senior season in 2018 with 89 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and three interceptions … helped Gulliver Prep to an 8-4 record and a playoff berth in 2018, losing in the regional semifinal … as a junior he made 53 tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks and recovered a fumble … graduates with 199 career tackles, 41.0 tackles for loss and 15.0 sacks … on Team USA U19 and will appear in the International Bowl in Dallas, Texas … also plays high school basketball … high school coach, Earl Sims, was a three-year letterwinner for Virginia (1998, 2000-01) at linebacker … attends the same high school as current Cavaliers DE Mandy Alonso and ILB Dominic Sheppard … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
Ben Smiley III
6-4 • 280 • DL
Chesapeake, Va. • Indian River HS
Ben Smiley III played defensive line and offensive line at Indian River High School for head coach Glenwood Ferebee … helped Indian River to a 12-1 record and a regional finals appearance in 2018 … named a first-team all-region honoree in 2018 … as a junior in 2017 he was first-team All-Tidewater after leading the Braves with 69 tackles, including 16.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks … earned second-team VHSL all-state honors in 2017 … was also first-team All-Southeastern District and Class 5 Region A … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
Hunter Stewart
6-3 • 220 • LB
Alexandria, Va. • Gonzaga College HS
Played linebacker and defensive end at Gonzaga College High School for head coach Randy Trivers … earned second-team All-WCAC honors on the defensive line as a senior, helping Gonzaga go 9-3 and win the 2018 WCAC championship … as a junior he made 69 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and two sacks … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
Zachary Teter
6-5 • 290 • OL
Lakeland, Fla. • Lake Gibson HS
Played offensive line at Lake Gibson High School for head coach Doug DeMyer… started 20 career games at right guard with a career blocking grade of 90 percent … was part of an offensive line unit that produced over 5,800 yards of total offense and 62 touchdowns over a the 2017 and 2018 seasons … first-team all-county as a senior and second-team all-county as a junior … also wrestled and helped Lake Gibson win the Dual State Championship in 2018 … son of Joyaand Doug Teter… father, Doug, is the head athletic trainer for the Detroit Tigers … has two younger brothers, twins Matthew and Deacon … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
Dontayvion Wicks
6-2 • 195 • WR
Plaquemine, La. • Plaquemine HS
Played wide receiver and quarterback at Plaquemine High School for head coach Paul Distefano … named second-team all-district in 2018 … as a junior in 2017 he had 12 catches for 212 yards helping Plaquemine to the district championship … also plays basketball for Plaquemine … son of Latisha Wicks … a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
Major Williams
6-0 • 176 • DB
Fort Myers, Fla. • Dunbar HS
Played cornerback and wide receiver at Dunbar High School for head coach Sam Brown … made 31 tackles and broke up five passes in 2018 … made four catches for 104 yards as a senior … as a junior recorded 30 tackles, broke up five passes, intercepted three and returned a fumble 58 yards … played in the 2018 Rotary South All-Star Classic … is cousins with fellow signee Seneca Milledge … a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
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