The University of Virginia kept the recruiting ball rolling this past week, adding three verbal commitments to their class of 2006, now 12 strong.
Sean Gottschalk, a 6-foot-5-inch, 267 lbs. defensive end from Deep Run High School in Glen Allen, Va., was the first of the three to verbally commit when he came to Charlottesville to notify Virginia's coaches of his decision on July 13. Gottschalk had 56 tackles and six sacks during his junior season while earning 2nd team All-District Honors.
Deep Run coach Leonard Pritchard sees Gottschalk only improving once he arrives at Virginia.
"His best football is ahead of him and as his football career continues he's going to get better," Pritchard said. "He hasn't played football all that much. He still has a lot to learn but because of that he's not going to peak while he's still in high school. He's going to get better and bigger and stronger while he's at U.Va.."
In fact, Gottschalk has only played organized football for two years, lining up at defensive end each of those seasons.
"He is starting to come into his own as a football player," Pritchard said. "He's starting to understand the game a little bit more and he's starting to utilize his body size a little bit more. He has a very explosive first step and gets off the ball extremely well."
With offers from 10 other schools including the University of Miami, the Univiersity of Georgia, and Virginia Tech, Gottschalk's commitment helps solidify what is shaping up to be a strong defensive class for Virginia.
"U.Va. was where I wanted to go from day one of the process," Gottschalk said. "I didn't want to keep stringing [Virginia] along." Both of Gottschalk's parents received graduate degrees from the University while Pritchard is a former U.Va. letterman.
Gottschalk acknowledged that the prestige of powerhouses like Miami and Georgia was almost enough to lure him in, but felt good about Virginia's prospects of competing against those same teams.
"I think U.Va. can compete for a national championship," he said.
Verbal commitments 11 and 12 are two offensive players: quarterback Marc Verica and running back Kordell Young.
Verica, a 6-foot-3-inch pro style quarterback, plays for Monsignor Bonner High School in Lansdown, Pa. Last season, his first as a starter, Verica threw for 1,700 yards and 10 touchdowns while completing 58 percent of all passes and rushing for three touchdowns.
Along with Virginia, Verica, who committed to the Cavaliers on July 14, has also been offered a scholarship from Wisconsin and is expecting an offer from Michigan State.
Young, at 5-foot-8-inches and 180 lbs., will add depth to an already full stable of backs. While his size may strike some as small, he makes up for it with his blistering speed. Young has been timed running a 4.4 40-yard dash, a figure that only eight players matched at the 2005 NFL draft combine. The West Deptford High School (West Deptford, NJ) senior rushed for 1,251 yards and 22 touchdowns during his junior season while averaging 11.5 yards per carry.
Young recieved offers from six other schools including Boston College, Pittsburgh and Maryland.
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