5-Star Recruit Taquan Mizzell Picks Virginia

The Virginia Cavaliers received some very good news on the recruiting trail on Tuesday. Running back Taquan Mizzell announced that he would be a Wahoo at the start of the 2013 season. Mizzell is rated as a five star back by Rivals and a four star by ESPN. Mizzell, out of Virginia Beach, is the first five star recruit the Cavaliers have received a commitment from under head coach Mike London.

Mizzell’s commitment is a big one for London. Recruiting, as with most things college football related in the state of Virginia, is a competition every year between UVa and Virginia Tech. When London took over the team in Charlottesville, they suddenly had an edge in recruiting over the Hokies. Virginia Tech’s answer to London was Frank Beamer’s son Shane taking over recruiting duties. Since that moment, the Hokies have had the edge on recruiting in the state.

Mizzell had his decision down to three schools: West Virginia, North Carolina and Virginia. As you can see, the Hokies weren’t on that list, but Virginia Tech hasn’t exactly had a lackluster 2013 class to this point. In fact it is currently shaping into one of the better recruiting classes in recent memory.

Virginia’s class is also impressive to this point. The Cavaliers have received commitments from four 4-star recruits and Mizzell’s commit is just icing on the cake. We are still six months away from signing day and recruiting in Virginia is only just starting to heat up. In the years to come, it is reasonable to believe that Virginia and Virginia Tech will even out in recruiting, but one thing has to happen before that can become a reality: The Cavaliers must beat Virginia Tech.

UVa hasn’t beaten Virginia Tech since 2003, and until that trend is reversed, the Hokies will have the slight edge in recruiting. The one thing that is for sure is that there is plenty of football talent in the Commonwealth of Virginia–just ask Clemson and Florida State. Virginia and Virginia Tech will continue to battle on the field and in signing new talent. The Cavaliers won this round with Mizzell.