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uva recruiting FOOTBALL BUILDS STRONG 2014 CLASS DESPITE TOUGH SEASON I BY BRAD FRANKLIN n late November when the Cavaliers were on their way to finishing a 2-10 season on the gridiron, they were also in the midst of trying to add to an impressive recruiting class. Despite a rough year, head coach Mike London not only held on to his two top-10 commits — Virginia Beach (Va.) Bayside safety Quin Blanding (Rivals.com's No. 4 overall player nationally) and Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith defensive tackle Andrew Brown (No. 8 prospect nationally) — but also added several to a group that stood at 17 in mid-January. A month before National Signing Day, UVa's class was rated anywhere from No. 21 to No. 42 nationally. ESPN.com listed UVa at No. 21, while 247Sports rated it No. 28, Rivals.com had it No. 40 and Scout.com ranked it No. 42. After the 2013 season began in Charlottesville, UVa added six commits to the haul: Lynchburg (Va.) Virginia Episcopal defensive end Michael Biesemier, Indiana (Pa.) High defensive end Darrious Carter, Richmond (Va.) Varina wide receiver Donovan Dowling, Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy offensive lineman Jacob Fieler, Virginia Beach (Va.) Bishop Sullivan wide receiver Jamil Kamara and Lawrenceville (Ga.) Central Gwinnett cornerback Darrious Latimore. The 6-1, 202-pound Kamara is the highest-rated commit of the group. The four-star prospect, No. 19 wide receiver in the land and No. 119 overall player nationally picked UVa over Pitt and Wisconsin on national television during the U.S. Army AllAmerican Bowl Jan. 4. UVa had long been considered the favorite given Kamara's friendships with both of UVa's five-star commits, Blanding and Brown. He also works out i27.UVa Recruiting.indd 1 Rivals.com rates Virginia Beach (Va.) Bishop Sullivan standout Jamil Kamara as a four-star recruit, the No. 7 player in the Commonwealth, the No. 19 wide receiver nationally and the No. 118 overall prospect in the class of 2014. PHOTO BY BRAD FRANKLIN on a regular basis with quarterback Corwin Cutler, who signed with UVa as part of the 2013 class but spent this past year at Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy. Biesemier, Carter and Fieler all committed to the Wahoos in December under very different circumstances. Biesemier, a 6-4, 235-pounder who is unrated by Rivals.com, had been committed to James Madison prior to being offered by the Cavaliers and committing several days later (Dec. 2). The 6-6, 200-pound Carter, who is listed as a two-star recruit by Rivals.com, also flipped his commitment to UVa (Dec. 22) after having been previously pledged to Temple. Fieler, a 6-5, 295-pounder from West Virginia 1/16/14 11:16 AM