Name: Ben Knutson
High School: Penn (Mishawka IN)
Height/Weight: 6-8, 280 pounds
Ranking: Rivals 3*, 247 3*, ESPN 3*
Additional Offers: Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Pittsburgh
The Skinny:
Knutson will be in the running for the tallest player on the Virginia football team from the moment he steps on grounds. The Indiana native is also a power forward on the Penn basketball team, and is one of the more athletic big guys that you will see on the football field. The towering 6-foot-8 lineman pledged to UVa in May of 2015, and remained solid despite the coaching change.
As seen on the film above, Knutson pretty much towered over everybody at the high school level. He does a good job at holding his block, and not releasing until the play is well beyond him. Knutson played both defensive end and offensive tackle at the high school level, and used his active hands to create space on both sides of the ball. The 10th ranked prospect in the state of Indiana displays solid footwork and has an understanding of what both the offensive and defensive lines are trying to accomplish.
It is rare for any offensive lineman outside of the five-star 350-pound tackles to play as a true freshmen. Knutson will need to add a little more size, and get used to his newfound weight before he is ready to see the field at the college level. Thankfully, Virginia has some depth on the line and can stand to redshirt the underclassmen.