Highest-rated Class of 2026 football recruits from Virginia

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May 30, 2025
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Highest-rated Class of 2026 football recruits from Virginia

The recruiting race for the Class of 2026 is already heating up — not just on the field, but in the increasingly complex ecosystem of modern college football, where NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals are reshaping how programs and players navigate early recruitment. For elite underclassmen, talent alone is no longer the only factor drawing attention; marketability, social media presence, and brand potential are now playing pivotal roles in how offers are extended and decisions are made. The top recruits in the 2026 cycle are not only physically advanced and highly skilled — they're entering high school with endorsement potential and media savviness.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated Class of 2026 football recruits from Virginia using data from 247Sports. Here's the players from Virginia set to dominate Saturdays (and potentially Sundays) for years to come.

1 / 20
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#20. Ben Whitver (WR)

- National rank: #914 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #143
- College: not committed
- Offers: Penn State, East Carolina, Buffalo, Charlotte, Liberty
- High school: Powhatan (Powhatan, VA)
2 / 20
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#18 (tie). Jaiden Edwards (IOL)

- National rank: #792 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #72
- College: not committed
- Offers: Virginia Tech, Liberty, Old Dominion, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest
- High school: Courtland (Spotsylvania, VA)
3 / 20
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#18 (tie). SirPaul Cheeks (RB)

- National rank: #792 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #47
- College: not committed
- Offers: Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Minnesota, Appalachian State, Ball State
- High school: Varina (Richmond, VA)
4 / 20
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#17. Markel Dabney (ATH)

- National rank: #760 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #49
- College: SMU
- Offers: SMU, Michigan, Virginia Tech, Arizona, Campbell
- High school: Huguenot (Richmond, VA)
5 / 20
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#16. Joshua Pittman (LB)

- National rank: #703 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #55
- College: Virginia Tech
- Offers: Virginia Tech, Charlotte, Delaware, East Carolina, Indiana
- High school: King's Fork (Suffolk, VA)
6 / 20
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#15. Cameron Hairston-Taylor (ATH)

- National rank: #686 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #46
- College: not committed
- Offers: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, James Madison, Louisville
- High school: Patrick Henry (Roanoke, VA)
7 / 20
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#14. Mathieu Lamah (LB)

- National rank: #553 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #39
- College: Penn State
- Offers: Penn State, Virginia Tech, Central Michigan, East Carolina, Georgia Tech
- High school: Patriot (Nokesville, VA)
8 / 20
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#13. Jaziel Hart (CB)

- National rank: #548 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #44
- College: Penn State
- Offers: Penn State, Michigan, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Akron
- High school: North Cross School (Roanoke, VA)
9 / 20
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#12. Isaiah Simmons (LB)

- National rank: #449 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #31
- College: not committed
- Offers: Virginia, Virginia Tech, Delaware, Duke, Georgia Tech
- High school: Maury (Norfolk, VA)
10 / 20
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#11. Kedric Golston II (Edge)

- National rank: #443 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #42
- College: not committed
- Offers: Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Duke
- High school: Stone Bridge (Ashburn, VA)
11 / 20
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#10. Amare Gough (WR)

- National rank: #344 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #53
- College: Syracuse
- Offers: Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Virginia, Boston College
- High school: Thomas Jefferson (Richmond, VA)
12 / 20
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#9. Thomas Wilder (OT)

- National rank: #317 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #30
- College: not committed
- Offers: Virginia Tech, Maryland, Penn State, North Carolina, Alabama
- High school: Green Run (Virginia Beach, VA)
13 / 20
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#8. Dyzier Carter (WR)

- National rank: #195 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #30
- College: Rutgers
- Offers: Rutgers, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Florida State, Georgia
- High school: Louisa County (Mineral, VA)
14 / 20
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#7. Carter Scruggs (IOL)

- National rank: #194 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #12
- College: not committed
- Offers: Georgia, Penn State, Michigan, Clemson, Oklahoma
- High school: Loudoun County (Leesburg, VA)
15 / 20
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#6. Davion Brown (WR)

- National rank: #185 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #28
- College: Penn State
- Offers: Penn State, Georgia, Virginia Tech, Auburn, Boston College
- High school: Trinity Episcopal School (Richmond, VA)
16 / 20
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#5. Andre Clarke (S)

- National rank: #178 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #16
- College: not committed
- Offers: Kentucky, Miami, Michigan, Virginia Tech, Syracuse
- High school: Hermitage (Richmond, VA)
17 / 20
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#4. Valdin Sone (DL)

- National rank: #174 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #23
- College: not committed
- Offers: Oklahoma, Florida, Alabama, Nebraska, Auburn
- High school: Blue Ridge School (Dyke, VA)
18 / 20
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#3. Travis Johnson (WR)

- National rank: #144 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #21
- College: not committed
- Offers: Virginia Tech, Michigan, Penn State, South Carolina, Indiana
- High school: Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, VA)
19 / 20
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#2. Darius Gray (IOL)

- National rank: #28 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #2
- College: not committed
- Offers: South Carolina, Penn State, LSU, Ohio State, Auburn
- High school: St. Christopher's School (Richmond, VA)
20 / 20
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#1. Savion Hiter (RB)

- National rank: #17 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #1
- College: not committed
- Offers: Tennessee, Michigan, Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama
- High school: Louisa County (Mineral, VA)

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