COMMITMENT: Virginia reels in prized lineman

Virginia struck on the recruiting trail Monday, picking up a commitment from one of its top offensive line targets. Offensive tackle Ryan Nelson announced his commitment to UVA on Twitter after visiting Charlottesville this weekend. The Buena Park, California native checks in at 6’6” and 254 pounds and is ranked the 65th-best offensive tackle in the nation by the 247 Sports Composite.

Nelson is the 19th player to commit to UVA for the 2017 season. He joins offensive tackle Chris Glaser, guard Bryson Speas, and center Tyler Fannin as part of UVA’s offensive line haul. He also adds a bit more “star power” to Virginia’s class. As a high 3-star recruit, Nelson is currently the second-highest-rated player to have committed to UVA for 2017.

The Virginia Football Recruiting Twitter handle hinted at this Sunday afternoon.

Nelson could potentially see playing time for the Cavaliers next season. Head coach Bronco Mendenhall has shown a willingness to play true freshmen: he’s played 8 so far in 2016. Moreover, Virginia has a serious lack of player offensive line depth this year, and things might not get much better next season. UVA is slated to return eight linemen 2017, but only four of them have played a down in college.

Nelson chose Virginia over offers from Arizona, Utah, Northwestern, Arizona State, Cal, Nebraska, and others.