Virginia Signee: Kirk Garner

Kirk Garner
Position: Defensive Back
Hometown (School): Olney, MD (Good Counsel)
Height/Weight: 5'11'' 180 lbs
Committed to Virginia: 6/22/12
Lead Recruiter: Anthony Poindexter

Virginia signee Kirk Garner chose the Hoos over a ton of offers from other programs, including Florida State, Auburn, Tennessee, Michigan State, and others. Garner became the third Good Counsel player to commit to UVa for 2013, joining quarterback Brendan Marshall and wide receiver Andre Levrone. Garner is the cousin of Virginia wide receiver E.J. Scott. Rivals rates Garner as a 4-star prospect, and 247Sports has him rated as a high 3-star player. The star defensive back was one of several Virginia signees to play in the Chesapeake Bowl, an all-star event for players from Virginia, D.C., Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

Garner teamed up with 5-star defensive back Kendall Fuller to form one of the best secondaries in the nation at Good Counsel. Although Kirk is only 5'11'' 180 lbs, he certainly plays bigger than that. Garner can come up and stop the run as a physical tackler. He also proved he can cover some elite talents at wide receiver, playing against great prep competition in Maryland. Garner has good hands, and the ability to make plays once he gets a hold of the ball. Really, Garner is a perfect fit for Jon Tenuta's aggressive defense.

Getting commits from Andre Levrone and Brendan Marshall certainly didn't hurt the Hoos' chances to land Garner. The standout cornerback had a great relationship with Anthony Poindexter too, and UVa closed out Garner when he visited Grounds in late June. Virginia has had a lot of success at Good Counsel in recent years, grabbing three commits this year, joining current Cavaliers E.J. Scott and Vincent Croce in Charlottesville. Garner will certainly have the opportunity to play early in his collegiate career, and he will probably get on the field in 2013.