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18 CAVALIER CORNER BY BRAD FRANKLIN W HEN FOURTH-YEAR head coach Bronco Men- denhall walked into the media room at John Paul Jones Arena on National Signing Day in February, much of what he was there to discuss was "old news." Virginia finished the 2019 recruiting cy- cle with 23 signees. Most notably, the Wa- hoos inked the first three four-star players of the Mendenhall era and got most of their business handled early. The majority (21) of UVA's 2019 class — which is headlined by a pair of defensive stars — signed in December. The group finished ranked 33rd nationally and sixth in the ACC by Rivals. The highest-rated player of the haul is Cincinnati Walnut Hills High School four- star defensive tackle Jowon Briggs, a 6-2, 286-pounder who finished No. 73 overall in the class. That makes him the best recruit signed by Mendenhall's staff to date. The crown jewel of the class — who also was rated as the No. 2 prospect in Ohio and the No. 4 defensive tackle nationally — was a 2019 Under Armour All-American. He notched 54 tackles and six sacks as a senior. Briggs is joined by fellow four-stars Ja'Quay Hubbard and Hunter Stewart. Hubbard, a 6-6, 330-pounder from Sharpsville (Pa.) High School, is the high- est-rated offensive tackle (No. 29 per Ri- vals) to sign with the Cavaliers in five years. Stewart, meanwhile, is an Alexandria na- tive who posted 69 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and two sacks in 2018 for Washington, D.C., power Gonzaga College High School. The 6-3, 220-pound linebacker is the high- est-rated local signee (No. 3 in Washington, D.C., plus the No. 16 outside linebacker nationally per Rivals) for the staff. The Cavaliers signed three others from the Commonwealth in Ben Smiley, a 6-4 and 280-pound defensive lineman from In- dian River in Chesapeake; Chayce Chalm- ers, a 6-2 and 208-pound safety from Stone- wall Jackson in Manassas; and Josh Ahern, a 6-3 and 215-pound linebacker from Lake Braddock in Burke. Smiley, Rivals' No. 14 player in Virginia and No. 33 defensive tackle in the country, helped the Braves to a 12-1 record this past year while tallying 69 tackles, 16.5 stops for loss and 11 sacks. Chalmers joined fellow defensive back Antonio Clary of Jacksonville, Fla., and wide receiver Dorien Goddard of Greeneville, Tenn., as early enrollees in January. That trio of three-star recruits has already impressed the Virginia coaches, and given their high school exploits that's no real surprise. Chalmers (No. 27 in Virginia) was a first- team all-region player after a 60-tackle, four-interception campaign. He returned one of his picks for a touchdown, and added 1.5 sacks and a blocked punt. Clary played safety and wide receiver at Sandalwood High School, and finished his senior season with 58 tackles (six for loss), three sacks and three interceptions. The 6-3, 222-pound Goddard — the No. 32 prospect in Tennessee per Rivals — racked up gaudy stats. After winning the state championship in 2017, his team rolled to a 15-0 record on the way to another title this past year, when he caught 78 passes for 1,320 yards and 14 touchdowns. The other intriguing storyline for UVA in this class was the inclusion of a pair of two- star recruits from Germany, including the THE FUTURE IS NOW Much Is Expected From The Newest Group Of Wahoos "We want more. We want better. We want greater than, not equal to. We're hopeful that 19's class was better than 18, and 18 better than 17." HEAD COACH BRONCO MENDENHALL Cincinnati Walnut Hills High School standout Jowon Briggs was the crown jewel of UVA's 2019 class, with Rivals listing him as a four-star talent, the No. 2 player in Ohio, and the No. 4 defensive tackle and No. 73 overall prospect in the nation. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM