Virginia Adds to 2022 Class

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Fralin Family Head Football Coach Tony Elliott announced the addition of 10 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent (NLI) or Grants in Aid for the 2022-23 academic school year. Including the early signing period in December, a total of 21 student-athletes make up the Cavaliers 2022 recruiting class.

The following is a list of individuals who make up this year’s signing class:

2022 Virginia Football Signing Day Roster

** January enrollee

# Signed on Dec. 15 (Early Signing Day)

Paul Akere • DL
Hebron (TX)/Columbia
Carrollton, Texas

CAREER: Played in 22 career games with 10 starts as a defensive end … In his three-year, 22-game career, registered 6.0 sacks for 41 yards, 10.0 tackles for loss for 53 yards, 49 total tackles (31 solo) with one forced fumble.

2021: Named an FCS ADA Academic All-Star … Second team All-Ivy League honoree as a defensive lineman … Named a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection … Earned second team All-Ivy League honors by Phil Steele Magazine … Started all 10 games as a senior defensive end … Ranked No. 9 in the Ivy League in sacks (5.0-39 yards), ranked No. 10 in the Ivy League in tackles for loss (9.0-51 yards), and finished the year ranked No. 5 on the squad in tackles, impressive for a defensive lineman, with 42 (27 solo) … Had a four-game stretch with at least one sack (Sept. 25-Oct. 22) … Finished with five tackles (two solo), 1.5 tackle for loss and 0.5 sack for six yards in season finale at Cornell (Nov. 20) … Made five tackles with 1.0 tackle for loss, 0.5 sack and forced a fumble at Brown (Nov. 13) … Finisehd with six tackles (six solo) at Dartmouth (Oct. 22) … Finished with six tackles (four solo) with 2.0 tackles for loss for nine yards and 1.0 sack for five yards vs. Penn (Oct. 16) … Registered four tackles (three solo) with 1.0 sack for nine yards at Central Connecticut State (Oct. 9) … Registered one sack for seven yards and three solo tackles at Princeton (Oct. 2) … Most productive performance came vs. Georgetown when he led the Lions with eight tackles (six solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, and a sack (Sept. 25) … Made first career start with one assisted tackle in season opener vs. Marist (Sept. 18). 2020: Season canceled due to COVID pandemic. 2019: Played in all 10 games as a sophomore defensive lineman … Listed all year on the depth chart as a backup defensive end … Earned varsity letter on year … Finished the year with six tackles (three solo) with 1.0 sack for two yards and 1.0 tackle for loss for two yards … Totaled at least one tackle in four consecutive games … Finished with one tackle at Yale (Nov. 2) … Registered first career sack for two yards and one tackle vs. Penn (Oct. 19) … Made one tackle vs. Central Connecticut State (Oct. 12) … Made one tackle at Princeton (Oct. 5) … Made a career-high two tackles vs. Georgetown (Sept. 28). 2018: As a first-year, saw action in the season’s first two games on the defensive line … Made one tackle in career debut at Central Connecticut State (Sept. 15).

HIGH SCHOOL: A 2018 graduate of Hebron High School in Lewisville, Texas, where he played four years of varsity football for head coach Brian Brazil … Two-time All-District 5-6A selection … Earned unanimous first team all-district honors as a defensive lineman in 2017 and second team all-district honors as a tight end in 2016 … Earned academic all-state honorable mention honors as a senior … Two-time football team captain … Totaled 70 tackles (35 solo), averaged 7.8 tackles per game, 4.5 sacks and recovered three fumbles in nine games played during senior year … Led the Hawks to an 8-3 overall record and 6-1 district record as a senior … Led the Hawks to an 8-4 overall record, 5-2 conference slate as a junior … Named a two-star recruit by 247sports.com … Also played three seasons on the Hawks basketball team … Served as team captain in basketball as a junior and guided the Hawks to an undefeated district record and district championship 2016-17 … Named All-District 5-6A selection in basketball and Defensive Player of the Year as a junior … Also competed in track and field as a junior and senior … Threw the discus (145-4) … Involved in community service activities including the Hands of Hope community mentorship program, visiting elementary schools and feeding the homeless.

Dawson Alters • OL
St. Thomas Aquinas
Miami, Fla.

Three-star recruit according to 247Sports, Rivals.com and ESPN … ranked the 14^th best center in the country by ESPN.com … named an UnderArmour All-American and invited to play in the 2022 UnderArmour All-American Game in Orlando … played his senior season at St. Thomas Aquinas for head coach Roger Harriott … Helped STA to the 2021 7A State Championship after going 14-1 … recipient of the Henry O. Langston 7A Scholar-Athlete Award presented to the student-athlete with the highest GPA on each of the qualifying teams at the annual FHSAA State Football Championships … played junior season (2020) for TRU Prep Academy after football season at University School was canceled …  played alongside fellow UVA commit Blake Steen at STA.

Tapuvae “Snoop” Amaama • OL
Skyridge
Lehi, Utah

Three-star recruit according to 247Sports and Rivals.com … No. 12 overall recruit in Utah according to 247Sports … First-team All Region 4 by Deseret News … second-team all-state for class 6A by the Deseret News … Helped Skyridge to an 11-2 record in 2021 and to semifinal round of state 6A playoffs Played in the 2021 Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii that puts the top high school players in the country on one field together to compete in an annual All-Star game.

Mckale Boley • OL
Oak Grove
Hattiesburg, Miss.

Three-star recruit according to 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN … Ranked the 34^th player in Mississippi according to ESPN … played for Drew Causey at Oakdale High School … helped Oakdale reach the 2020 state championship after posting a 13-0 record … reached the state championship game in 2019 … All-Conference selection … Invited to play in the 2021 Benard Blackwell Classic All-Star Football game … played soccer all the way up until his junior year … his father Michael Boley played football at Southern Miss where he was a three-time All-Conference USA selection and 2004 C-USA Defensive Player of the Year as a linebacker. Played nine NFL seasons for the Falcons, Giants and Bengals. Won Super Bowl XLVI with the New York Giants.

Houston Curry • OL
Hillcrest
Fountain Inn, S.C.

A three-star recruit according to 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals.com … ranked the No. 25 overall recruit in South Carolina according to 247Sports … Played for Anthony Frate at Hillcrest High School … Two-sport standout at Hillcrest playing baseball and football … 2021 SFCA 5A All-State selection … SC Region 1 AAAAAA All-Region honoree as a senior in 2021… selected to play in the 2021 Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl, a north/south matchup of South Carolina’s top high school football players … named the Hilcrest Offensive Line MVP his senior season … Won 2021 5A State Baseball Championship … earned 2021 All-Region honors in baseball.

Noah DeMeritt • OL
Camden County
Kingsland, Ga.

Three-star recruit according to 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN … four-year letterwinner at Camden County, playing for Bob Spire (2018-2020) and Jeff Herron (2021) …  Earned all-state and all-area team honors … Four-time Region 1 7A All-Region selection, including three first team nods.

John Paul Flores • OL
All Saints Episcopal (TX)/Dartmouth
Arlington, Texas

PREVIOUS SCHOOL: CAREER: Started all 20 games in his final two seasons (2019 & 2021) in which Dartmouth led the Ivy League in rushing and won back-to-back league championships … Dartmouth lost three games in his four years in Hanover including an 18-2 mark as a starter. 2021: Second Team All-Ivy League selection … started all 10 games at left tackle … Dartmouth ranked No. 1 in the Ivy League and No. 21 in FCS with 193.7 rushing yards per game … Dartmouth went 9-1 on the season, captured the 20^th Ivy League title in program history and ranked 23^rd in the final FCS Coaches Poll. 2020: Season canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic … selected for a spot on the Phil Steele Preseason All-Ivy League Third Team. 2019: Earned the starting job at left tackle and kept it the entire season … played a big part in Dartmouth winning its 19th Ivy League title and ending the season ranked in the top 25 … helped pave the way for Dartmouth to lead the Ivy League in rushing yards per game (167.0) and rank second in scoring offense (33.3 points per game) … effective pass blocker as well, contributing to the ultra-efficient passing game that ranked second nationally in passing efficiency … part of the unit that allowed fewer sacks that any other Ivy League squad … the offense was also third in the FCS in third-down conversion percentage at over 50 percent

HIGH SCHOOL: Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools all-state first team and academic all-state first team … three-sport athlete was also TAPPS Class 5A basketball all-state second team and academic all-state first team … threw the shot and discus at All Saints, earning all-state honors as a junior.

Mac Hollensteiner • OL
Landon/Georgetown
Bethesda, Md.

PREVIOUS SCHOOL (GEORGETOWN) – A two-year starter for the Hoyas … appeared in 19 games, primarily at right tackle, including all 10 in 2021 … 2021 Phil Steele FCS All-Patriot League Fourth Team selection … Georgetown did not compete in 2020 due to COVID19 pandemic … member of the team’s leadership council and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee … listed on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll in 2019 and 2020 … recipient Georgetown’s 2019 Robert Dahut Memorial Award for most improved.

HIGH SCHOOL: Was a two-year starter at Landon High School, serving as a team captain his senior year … Helped lead Landon to the Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC) Championship in 2017 … Named First Team All-IAC as a senior … Was also a member of the basketball team, serving as a team captain … In the classroom, was a four-year member of the honor roll.

TT Jones • DL
Hoover
Hoover, Ala. 

Three-star recruit according to 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals.com …  three-year letterwinner at Hoover High School playing for Josh Niblett … Was a second team all-state and second team all-region selection as a senior … Hoover was a combined 34-5 in his final three season including a 12-1 mark in 2021.

Blake Steen • OL
St. Thomas Aquinas
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Three-star recruit according to 247Sports … went 39-10 and won three state championships at STA … played alongside fellow UVA commit Dawson Alters during his senior at STA.