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When Bronco Mendenhall addressed the media after National Signing Day, one of the remaining areas of focus that he highlighted was Virginia's depth on both the offensive and defensive lines.
"It'll probably take two years," Mendenhall admitted while addressing the Hoos' numbers in the trenches. "That doesn't mean we can't have success in the short term. It's just there's not as much depth." Mendenhall added that he likes to keep a specific number of players at each position to maintain a balanced roster.
One target with the potential of adding immediate help is former UNC lineman Jared Cohen. Cohen was officially granted his release by North Carolina in October and Virginia is reportedly in the mix for his services.
Big thanks to #TarHeelNation, can't wait to see what my future holds. pic.twitter.com/s5Nu250sz0
— Jared Cohen (@Tha_Jare_Bear) October 26, 2015
Cohen played in 13 games as a freshman at Carolina but left the team before the 2015 season. Because he played a year of community college football, he is eligible to play immediately at any FBS or FCS program. He visited Purdue earlier in January.
It's not clear what Cohen meant by not fitting well in Chapel Hill. But he played his high school football at an academically prestigious prep school in the Baltimore suburbs that has a strict honor code. Maybe he'll find his fit one state closer to home.
The Hoos are also hot on the trail of another highly touted Maryland product: four-star offensive tackle Marcus Minor of DeMatha. Minor was in Charlottesville for an unofficial visit over the weekend.
#UVA #wahoo loved the visit ! pic.twitter.com/fyllLds7Q3
— Marcus Minor (@AyeeMarcus_) February 7, 2016
Minor is the #4 prospect in Maryland for the Class of 2017, according to 247Sports. DeMatha has been a good connection for Virginia over the years; graduating defensive end Mike Moore played there for his father, legendary quarterback Shawn Moore.