Cavaliers Now

UVA Football Lands Commitment From Three-Star In-State Defensive Lineman

UVA beat out North Carolina, Michigan, Indiana, Rutgers, and Virginia Tech for the services of one of the top players in Virginia

Matt Newton

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Rodney Lora, Virginia Cavaliers football
Rodney Lora (Woodberry Forest, VA)

Friday has been a good day for Tony Elliott and the Virginia football program. Just a few hours after landing a commitment from legacy tight end TeKai Kirby (Fort Lauderdale, FL), the Cavaliers received their second commitment of the day from in-state three-star defensive lineman Rodney Lora. 

Lora, a 6'4", 270-pound defensive lineman, is originally from New Jersey, but attends Woodberry Forest School in Virginia. He chose UVA over offers from 14 programs, including several ACC rivals. Lora released his top six on May 1st and included Virginia along with North Carolina, Michigan, Indiana, Rutgers, and Virginia Tech. 

Lora took an official visit to UVA last weekend that solidified his decision to commit to the Cavaliers, becoming the fourth player from Virginia to commit to the UVA football program in the class of 2023, joining offensive lineman Cole Surber (Nokesville, VA), running back Donte Hawthorne (Stafford, VA), and defensive lineman Miles Greene (Highland Springs, VA).

"What led me to that decision was the good education and the future I see myself having at this school," Lora told 247Sports. "I see myself being built into a successful defensive lineman there, especially under [defensive tackles] coach [Kevin] Downing's wing."

247 rates Lora as the No. 17-ranked player in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the No. 78 defensive lineman in the country in the class of 2023. 

Rodney Lora is the seventh verbal commit in the UVA football recruiting class of 2023:

  • offensive lineman Cole Surber (committed April 29th)
  • running back Donte Hawthorne (committed May 29th)
  • cornerback Jarvis Lee (committed June 5th)
  • defensive lineman Miles Greene (committed June 6th)
  • wide receiver Amare Thomas (committed June 17th)
  • tight end TeKai Kirby (committed June 24th)
  • defensive lineman Rodney Lora (committed June 24th)

See more details on each of Virginia's class of 2023 football commits here.

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.

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