The recruiting race for college football is 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 2027 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 2027 football recruits from Virginia using data from 247Sports. Players are ranked by their 247Sports composite ratings. Here's the players from Virginia set to dominate Saturdays (and potentially Sundays) for years to come.
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1 / 20#20. Lonnie Andrews III (QB)
- National rank: #938 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #48
- College: Virginia
- Offers: Virginia, Pittsburgh, Boston College, Syracuse, East Carolina
- High school: Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, VA)
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2 / 20#19. Jordan Burns (WR)
- National rank: #876 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #108
- College: Virginia
- Offers: Virginia, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, Buffalo
- High school: Liberty Christian Academy (Lynchburg, VA)
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3 / 20#18. Chance Thomas (QB)
- National rank: #846 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #43
- College: Kansas
- Offers: Kansas, Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Duke
- High school: Loudoun Sports Academy (Leesburg, VA)
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4 / 20#17. Tyson Washington (LB)
- National rank: #749 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #60
- College: Virginia Tech
- Offers: Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Penn State, Virginia, Clemson
- High school: The St. James (Springfield, VA)
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5 / 20#16. Lawrence Hewlett (RB)
- National rank: #652 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #43
- College: East Carolina
- Offers: East Carolina, James Madison, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Kent State
- High school: Prince George (Prince George, VA)
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6 / 20#14 (tie). Raymond Hudson (Edge)
- National rank: #486 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #44
- College: Clemson
- Offers: Clemson, Maryland, Cincinnati, Penn State, Syracuse
- High school: Varina (Richmond, VA)
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7 / 20#14 (tie). Demarcus Brown (WR)
- National rank: #486 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #68
- College: Virginia Tech
- Offers: Virginia Tech, Virginia, California, Louisville, Maryland
- High school: Roanoke Catholic (Roanoke, VA)
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8 / 20#13. Sam Faniel (TE)
- National rank: #467 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #27
- College: Virginia Tech
- Offers: Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, Alabama, Arizona State, Auburn
- High school: Benedictine (Richmond, VA)
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9 / 20#12. Matt Williams (CB)
- National rank: #451 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #42
- College: Vanderbilt
- Offers: Vanderbilt, Duke, Indiana, LSU, Maryland
- High school: Maury (Norfolk, VA)
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10 / 20#11. Carter Jones (IOL)
- National rank: #433 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #25
- College: Clemson
- Offers: Clemson, Penn State, Georgia, Alabama, Auburn
- High school: Poquoson (Poquoson, VA)
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11 / 20#10. Brody McNeel (OT)
- National rank: #428 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #40
- College: Ohio State
- Offers: Ohio State, Duke, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan State
- High school: Godwin (Richmond, VA)
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12 / 20#9. Q'Mari Hudson (OT)
- National rank: #386 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #38
- College: Tennessee
- Offers: Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Maryland
- High school: Western Branch (Chesapeake, VA)
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13 / 20#8. Iveon Lewis (WR)
- National rank: #372 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #52
- College: South Carolina
- Offers: South Carolina, Kentucky, Arkansas, Boston College, Cincinnati
- High school: Huguenot (Richmond, VA)
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14 / 20#7. Cam Wade (WR)
- National rank: #368 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #50
- College: Virginia Tech
- Offers: Virginia Tech, Maryland, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn
- High school: Loudoun Sports Academy (Leesburg, VA)
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15 / 20#6. Ethan Lawson (IOL)
- National rank: #320 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #16
- College: West Virginia
- Offers: West Virginia, Duke, Louisville, Rutgers, Syracuse
- High school: Rye Cove (Duffield, VA)
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16 / 20#5. Junior Saunders (OT)
- National rank: #316 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #31
- College: Virginia Tech
- Offers: Virginia Tech, NC State, Virginia, Florida, Florida State
- High school: Woodberry Forest (Woodberry Forest, VA)
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17 / 20#4. Kenaz Sullivan (S)
- National rank: #285 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #24
- College: Maryland
- Offers: Maryland, Indiana, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama
- High school: The St. James (Springfield, VA)
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18 / 20#3. Noah Glover (LB)
- National rank: #271 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #22
- College: Miami
- Offers: Miami, Notre Dame, Alabama, Auburn, Clemson
- High school: Battlefield (Haymarket, VA)
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19 / 20#2. Elijah Hutcheson (OT)
- National rank: #103 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #10
- College: Florida
- Offers: Florida, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State
- High school: Roanoke Catholic (Roanoke, VA)
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20 / 20#1. Chris Whitehead (Edge)
- National rank: #45 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #7
- College: LSU
- Offers: LSU, Virginia Tech, South Carolina, Ohio State, Alabama
- High school: L.C. Bird (Chesterfield, VA)
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