Virginia offers pair of offensive tackles from transfer portal

By Jerry Ratcliffe

While Virginia entered the New Year with the most football players on the FBS side of the transfer portal (19), the Cavaliers have reached out with offers to a couple of linemen that left other programs.

Coach Tony Elliott made an offer to John Paul Flores, who started for Dartmouth at left tackle the past two seasons. Flores is a 6-foot-5, 300-pound lineman who has two years of eligibility remaining.

Flores also holds offers from UConn, Florida International, James Madison, Miami (Ohio), Temple, Central Michigan, Bowling Green, Western Michigan, Akron, Buffalo and Texas State.

UVA has also offered Sacred Hearts’ two-time All-American left tackle J.D. DiRenzo, a 6-6, 315 grad transfer. DiRenzo was a three-time, first-team All-Conference selection and first-team All-New England performer.

DiRenzo also has offers from Maryland, Minnesota, Rutgers, Ole Miss, West Virginia, Washington State, UConn, Temple, Syracuse, Toledo, Mississippi State, Buffalo, SMU, Purdue and Ball State.