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

Matt Newton

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The college football early signing period for the high school recruiting class of 2025 began on Wednesday and the Virginia football program made a late addition to its early signing class by flipping former JMU defensive back commit Josiah Persinger, a three-star recruit who announced his commitment to the Cavaliers on Wednesday morning via social media.

A 5'11" cornerback from Roanoke who attends Salem High School, Persinger visited UVA unofficially back in February, but ended up committing to JMU in late July. The Virginia coaching staff pursued Persinger aggressively this fall and got him back on Grounds for an official visit in November. Persinger, who also held a scholarship offer from Wake Forest, made the decision to flip his commitment from the Dukes to the Cavaliers on Tuesday and made it official by signing with Virginia on Wednesday morning.

Virginia recruited Persinger as a defensive back, but he excels on both sides of the ball for Salem, earning a First-Team All-Region selection as both a running back and defensive back. His best physical attribute is undoubtedly his speed, as Persinger is also an accomplished track athlete, running a 10.58-second 100-meter dash and placing second in the state championship in that event last spring.

247Sports has Persinger rated as a three-star prospect, the No. 101-ranked cornerback in the country, and the No. 35 overall recruit in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Watch some of Persinger's senior year football highlights at Salem in the video linked here via Hudl: Josiah Rb Tape

With Persinger joining Virginia's 2025 recruiting class, UVA now has 18 players in its 2025 early signing class. That group includes six Virginia natives and four defensive backs. See the 2025 UVA football early signing class below:

  • Josiah Abdullah: wide receiver (Columbus, Georgia)
  • Jon Adair: offensive lineman (Franklin, Tennessee)
  • Corey Costner: defensive back (Baltimore, Maryland)
  • Xay Davis: running back (Richmond, Virginia)
  • Cole Geer: quarterback (Griswold, Connecticut)
  • Jim Harris Jr.: offensive lineman (Muskegon, Michigan)
  • Sichan John: defensive tackle (Lawrenceville, Georgia)
  • Bjorn Jurgensen: quarterback (Orlando, Florida)
  • Dillon Newton-Short: wide receiver (Matoaca, Virginia)
  • Josiah Persinger: defensive back (Roanoke, Virginia)
  • Isaiah Reese: linebacker (Gilford, New Hampshire)
  • Isaiah Robinson: wide receiver (Chester, Virginia)
  • Grayson Reid: offensive lineman (Washington, D.C.)
  • Justin Rowe: linebacker (Ottawa, Ontario)
  • CJ Spence: defensive back (St. Louis, Missouri)
  • Willem Thurber: tight end (Brattleboro, Vermont)
  • Montino Williams: defensive back (Chesterfield, Virginia)
  • Justin Zames: tight end (Tampa, Florida)

Stay tuned to Virginia Cavaliers On SI for more coverage of the 2025 UVA football early signing class.

Read a full breakdown of the 2025 Virginia football early signing class here: Meet the Virginia Football 2025 Early Signing Class

For all the latest news and updates regarding Virginia football in the NCAA transfer portal, which is set to open on Monday, December 9th and run through Saturday, December 28th, see our UVA football transfer portal tracker here: Virginia Football Transfer Portal Tracker

More Virginia Football News

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

Virginia WR Jaden Gibson Entering the Transfer Portal

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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.