Four-Star Defensive Tackle Prospect Ben Smiley Commits To Cavaliers

Bronco Mendenhall said after Saturday night’s upset win over 16th-ranked Miami, that the number of quality recruits that were visiting Virginia for the game exceeded any during his time in Charlottesville.

Well, at least one of them was overwhelmed with what he witnessed.

Ben Smiley, a highly-sought after defensive tackle from Chesapeake’s Indian River High School, committed to the Cavaliers.

A four-star by Rivals, Smiley chose Virginia over offers from Alabama, Oklahoma, Penn State, Miami, Oregon, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, Duke, N.C. State, Tennessee, Nebraska, and others.

The 6-foot-4, 265-pound defensive tackle is UVa’s 20th commitment in the 2019 recruiting class, which is starting to get filled up.

Smiley tweeted today: “Recruitment is ‘Officially’ over 1000% Committed to UVa.”

Smiley told Adam Friedman of Rivals.com that “Being up there [Charlottesville] last night and seeing the way the players played hard, fast, and physical each and every snap and beating a good team like Miami played a big role,” the big D-lineman said. “It really shocked me and made me see myself playing on the same field and doing the same thing they’re doing.”

Friedman wrote that while Smiley is a defensive linemen and prefers defensive tackle, that there is a chance that in the long run, he could be more successful as an offensive tackle.

Smiley said that now he is committed, he’s going to help recruit the remaining players that Virginia has offered for the next recruiting class.

Certainly this was a big get for Bronco and his staff and could signal that Virginia is once again making key inroads to in-state recruiting.