Virginia Football adds 10 signees to 2022 recruiting class

Virginia football coach Tony Elliott announced Wednesday the addition of 10 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent or Grants in Aid for the 2022-2023 academic school year.

Including the early signing period in December, a total of 21 student-athletes make up the Cavaliers 2022 recruiting class.

February signees

Paul Akere • DL

Hebron (TX)/Columbia
Carrollton, Texas
COLLEGE CAREER: Played in 22 career games with 10 starts as a defensive end … In his three-year, 22-game career, registered 6.0 sacks for 41 yards, 10.0 tackles for loss for 53 yards, 49 total tackles (31 solo) with one forced fumble. 2021: Named an FCS ADA Academic All-Star … Second team All-Ivy League honoree as a defensive lineman … Named a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection … Earned second team All-Ivy League honors by Phil Steele Magazine … Started all 10 games as a senior defensive end … Ranked No. 9 in the Ivy League in sacks (5.0-39 yards), ranked No. 10 in the Ivy League in tackles for loss (9.0-51 yards), and finished the year ranked No. 5 on the squad in tackles, impressive for a defensive lineman, with 42 (27 solo) … A two-star prep recruit by 247sports.com.

Dawson Alters • OL

St. Thomas Aquinas
Miami, Fla.
PREP CAREER: Three-star recruit according to 247Sports, Rivals.com and ESPN … ranked the 14th best center in the country by ESPN.com … named an UnderArmour All-American and invited to play in the 2022 UnderArmour All-American Game in Orlando … played his senior season at St. Thomas Aquinas for head coach Roger Harriott … Helped STA to the 2021 7A State Championship after going 14-1 … recipient of the Henry O. Langston 7A Scholar-Athlete Award presented to the student-athlete with the highest GPA on each of the qualifying teams at the annual FHSAA State Football Championships … played junior season (2020) for TRU Prep Academy after football season at University School was canceled …  played alongside fellow UVA commit Blake Steen at STA.

Tapuvae “Snoop” Amaama • OL

Skyridge
Lehi, Utah
PREP CAREER: Three-star recruit according to 247Sports and Rivals.com … No. 12 overall recruit in Utah according to 247Sports … First-team All Region 4 by Deseret News … second-team all-state for class 6A by the Deseret News … Helped Skyridge to an 11-2 record in 2021 and to semifinal round of state 6A playoffs Played in the 2021 Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii that puts the top high school players in the country on one field together to compete in an annual All-Star game.

Mckale Boley • OL

Oak Grove
Hattiesburg, Miss.
PREP CAREER: Three-star recruit according to 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN … Ranked the 34th best player in Mississippi according to ESPN … played for Drew Causey at Oakdale High School … helped Oakdale reach the 2020 state championship after posting a 13-0 record … reached the state championship game in 2019 … all-conference selection … Invited to play in the 2021 Benard Blackwell Classic All-Star Football game … played soccer all the way up until his junior year … his father Michael Boley played football at Southern Miss where he was a three-time All-Conference USA selection and 2004 C-USA Defensive Player of the Year as a linebacker … father played nine NFL seasons for the Falcons, Giants and Bengals and won Super Bowl XLVI with the New York Giants.

Houston Curry • OL

Hillcrest
Fountain Inn, S.C.
PREP CAREER: A three-star recruit according to 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals.com … ranked the No. 25 overall recruit in South Carolina according to 247Sports … Played for Anthony Frate at Hillcrest High School … Two-sport standout at Hillcrest playing baseball and football … 2021 SFCA 5A All-State selection … SC Region 1 AAAAAA All-Region honoree as a senior in 2021… selected to play in the 2021 Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl, a north/south matchup of South Carolina’s top high school football players … named the Hilcrest Offensive Line MVP his senior season … Won 2021 5A State Baseball Championship … earned 2021 All-Region honors in baseball.

Noah DeMeritt • OL

Camden County
Kingsland, Ga.
PREP CAREER: Three-star recruit according to 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN … four-year letterwinner at Camden County, playing for Bob Spire (2018-2020) and Jeff Herron (2021) …  Earned all-state and all-area team honors … Four-time Region 1 7A All-Region selection, including three first team nods.

John Paul Flores • OL

All Saints Episcopal (TX)/Dartmouth
Arlington, Texas
COLLEGE CAREER: Started all 20 games in his final two seasons (2019 & 2021) in which Dartmouth led the Ivy League in rushing and won back-to-back league championships … Dartmouth lost three games in his four years in Hanover including an 18-2 mark as a starter. 2021: Second Team All-Ivy League selection … started all 10 games at left tackle … Dartmouth ranked No. 1 in the Ivy League and No. 21 in FCS with 193.7 rushing yards per game … Dartmouth went 9-1 on the season, captured the 20th Ivy League title in program history and ranked 23rd in the final FCS Coaches Poll.

Mac Hollensteiner • OL

Landon/Georgetown
Bethesda, Md.
COLLEGE CAREER: A two-year starter for the Hoyas … appeared in 19 games, primarily at right tackle, including all 10 in 2021 … 2021 Phil Steele FCS All-Patriot League Fourth Team selection … Georgetown did not compete in 2020 due to COVID19 pandemic … member of the team’s leadership council and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee … listed on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll in 2019 and 2020 … recipient Georgetown’s 2019 Robert Dahut Memorial Award for most improved. 

TT Jones • DL

Hoover
Hoover, Ala.
PREP CAREER: Three-star recruit according to 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals.com …  three-year letterwinner at Hoover High School playing for Josh Niblett … Was a second team all-state and second team all-region selection as a senior … Hoover was a combined 34-5 in his final three season including a 12-1 mark in 2021.

Blake Steen • OL

St. Thomas Aquinas
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
PREP CAREER: Three-star recruit according to 247Sports … went 39-10 and won three state championships at STA … played alongside fellow UVA commit Dawson Alters during his senior year at STA.