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uva recruiting FOOTBALL OFF TO STRONG START IN CLASS OF 2013 BY JACEY ZEMBAL The Virginia football program heads into the fall with momentum on the recruiting trail. UVa head coach Mike London and his staff entered late July with 15 verbal commitments — two four-star pros- pects, 12 three-star recruits and one unrated player — which comprised the country's No. 20 haul (sec- ond in the ACC) as of July 20, according to Rivals. com. The commitments feature seven different states and cover every position group but tight ends, run- ning backs and special teams. Rivals.com recruiting analyst Mike Farrell has been impressed by Virginia's early returns. Defen- sive backs Kirk Garner of Olney (Md.) Good Coun- sel High and Tim Harris of Richmond (Va.) Varina High headline the class, and both are Rivals.com four-star prospects. "It's a very well-rounded class with kids from Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, North Carolina and even Texas," Farrell said. "It isn't as restricted as Virginia Tech's class, which mainly gets kids from Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. I think [London] is broadening his recruiting areas and is doing a good job." The 6-2, 188-pound Harris is ranked as the No. 11 cornerback nationally and the No. 161 overall player in the country. He committed to Virginia April 14 over offers from California, Michigan, Ohio State, Rutgers and Virginia Tech, among others. "He's a big kid, and I don't know if he'll play cor- ner, but he can," Farrell said. "He can play safety or corner, so there is versatility there. He is very long, can run [4.5-second 40-yard dash] and comes from a good program that traditionally produces D-I kids Richmond (Va.) Varina star Tim Harris, the No. 11 cornerback nationally, headlines a 15-man haul that was ranked No. 20 in the nation by Rivals. com as of July 20. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM at a high level of competition in the Richmond area." The 5-11, 180-pound Garner is ranked No. 27 at his position nationally and No. 9 in Maryland. "Garner played mostly safety last year because they had Stefon Diggs [a Maryland signee] and Kendall Fuller at cornerback," Farrell said. "After seeing him in camps this year playing press corner, it's pretty clear he can do that. He's a thick kid, who CAVALIER CORNER ◆ AUGUST 2012 ◆ 47