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UVA Football Adds Three-Star Edge Rusher Evan Ward to 2025 Signing Class

Matt Newton

Evan Ward/IG
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A few hours after Tony Elliott held a press conference to discuss the 18-player class Virginia signed on Early Signing Day for the class of 2025, the Cavaliers picked up another commit and signee to move that number to 19. Three-star edge rusher Evan Ward announced his commitment to UVA on Wednesday evening and signed his National Letter of Intent as well, rounding out Virginia's 19-member 2025 early signing class.

“We’re excited to add one more piece on our early signing day as Evan Ward announced his intentions this afternoon,” said UVA head coach Tony Elliott. “Evan is a long, rangy athlete with a very high ceiling. He’s almost 230 pounds but has recently clocked a 10.9 in the 100-meter. It’s rare to find that blend of speed and size off the edge. He also comes from a great family and we believe he is a perfect fit here at the University of Virginia.”

A 6'5", 220-pound defensive end put of McIntosh High School in Peachtree City, Georgia, Ward registered 11 sacks in his senior season and garnered a First-Team All-Region selection. 247Sports rates Ward as a three-star prospect, the No. 75-ranked edge rusher in the country in the class of 2025, and the No. 121 overall recruit in the state of Georgia.

Ward initially announced his verbal commit to South Florida back on June 18th, but the offers continued to come in after that, including one from Virginia on October 23rd. Ward ultimately decommitted from South Florida on November 17th and then took an official visit to UVA less than a week later. On Wednesday, Ward brought his recruitment to an end by committing to Virginia and signing his National Letter of Intent. He chose the Cavaliers over offers from South Florida, Cincinnati, Bowling Green, Buffalo, East Carolina, Georgia State, Toledo, UAB, and Western Kentucky.

Ward is the second recruit the Cavaliers added to their signing class on Wednesday, joining three-star cornerback Josiah Persinger, who flipped from JMU to Virginia. With Evan Ward in the fold, Virginia's 19-player early signing day class now includes two defensive linemen to go along with two linebackers, four defensive backs, two quarterbacks, three wide receivers, three offensive linemen, one running back, and two tight ends.

Ward is the third Georgia native to sign with Virginia in this recruiting class, joining wide receiver Josiah Abdullah (Columbus, GA) and defensive tackle Sichan John (Lawrenceville, GA), both of whom will be mid-year enrollees and will join the program in January.

Read more on Virginia's 2025 early signing day class here: Meet the Virginia Football 2025 Early Signing Class

More Virginia Football News

Meet the Virginia Football 2025 Early Signing Class

Virginia Football Flips JMU Commit DB Josiah Persinger on Early Signing Day

Jonas Sanker Named First-Team All-ACC, UVA Football Puts Five on All-ACC Teams

Anthony Colandrea: Decision to Enter Transfer Portal "Not Made Lightly"

Virginia Football: Final ACC Football Power Rankings

UVA Football Report Card: Handing Out Grades for Virginia vs. Virginia Tech

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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.