COMMITMENT! Virginia Cavaliers football lands dual-threat quarterback Brennan Armstrong

The Virginia Cavaliers football program landed a new top prospect on Monday morning, with former Minnesota Gophers commit Brennan Armstrong announcing he flipped his pledge to UVA.

Armstrong is a 6’2, 210-pound dual-threat quarterback out of Shelby, Ohio (about halfway between Cleveland and Columbus). He’s rated three stars by 247 and Rivals, and four stars by ESPN. 247 and ESPN both rank him in the top fifteen dual-threat quarterbacks in the class of 2018, while Rivals has him 24th. His 247 Composite rating just edges out Javar Garrett for tops in the class of Virginia commits.

Armstrong committed to Minnesota in February, but announced in October that he would be re-opening his recruitment. In addition to Minnesota and UVA, Armstrong had offers in hand from North Carolina, Iowa State, and Cincinnati, with Kentucky showing strong interest in recent weeks.

This is what a Thorterback looks like. A left-handed thrower, Armstrong moves extremely well both in the pocket and downfield. “Deceptive speed” is a phrase I’ve seen used in several scouting reports and it seems accurate. He won’t necessarily jet by top-level defenders, but he’s got a good combination for a running QB: enough wheels to cause problems for linebackers and enough power to cause problems for defensive backs. His arm has got good zip to throw into tight windows and good touch on deeper throws. I’d like to see him work on throwing from a set base more consistently and securing the ball better when he scrambles, things that will no doubt be a point of emphasis under Jason Beck and Robert Anae. And adding 20ish pounds with Frank Wintrich will be another big priority for Armstrong to play his style of game against ACC-caliber defenders. A taste of what Armstrong has done for his team this year:

With the announcement that Armstrong has not only committed but shut down his recruitment, expect to see him enroll early and get a jump on practice and conditioning through the spring. The early signing period begins December 20th.

Armstrong will lead his team in the state quarterfinals on Friday. Go Shelby, and welcome to the family, Brennan!