CHARLOTTESVILLE 鈥 Jayden Covil said his future coaches were anxiously anticipating the choice he鈥檇 ultimately make.
Covil, a cornerback from VHSL Class 6 state champion Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake, pledged to Virginia on Sunday evening, joining the Hoos鈥 2026 recruiting class.
He said Cavaliers coach Tony Elliott as well as lead recruiter and cornerbacks coach Curome Cox, 鈥渨ere on their toes waiting for me to commit because I was already giving signs that I wanted to commit.
鈥淚鈥檝e wanted to go there for a long time,鈥 Covil continued, 鈥渁nd so I knew it was home and they knew it was the place for me. It was a nice feeling.鈥
The 5-foot-10, 165-pounder said he鈥檚 had aspirations of playing for the Cavaliers ever since his brother, Sherrod Covil Jr., was recruited by UVa鈥檚 previous coaching staff. The older Covil eventually decided on attending Clemson out of Oscar Smith, but an impression was made on Jayden nonetheless.
People are also reading…
鈥淭he atmosphere of the campus at UVa, I loved it there when I was younger,鈥 Covil said. 鈥淎nd then coming back a couple of years later, I go to a camp, and at the camp, I was getting coached up by the players and the coaches, and they had a certain type of energy. I loved that about UVa. It鈥檚 all like everybody is one big family.鈥
That was one of the separating factors for the Cavaliers, too, according to Covil, who chose the Hoos from a final group of three that also included rival Virginia Tech 鈥 where Sherrod Covil Jr. has since transferred to and currently plays 鈥 and fellow ACC member Wake Forest.
Other reasons why the younger Covil said he felt like he fit well with the Hoos was because of his relationships with Elliott and Cox in addition to how he projects within the Cavaliers鈥 defense, which features five defensive backs on the field at all times.
鈥淚 love how their defense is run and how it鈥檚 focused on their [defensive backs],鈥 Covil said.
He said he鈥檒l likely play both true corner and nickel corner at UVa, and that Cox told him he鈥檇 learn all five positions in the secondary.
That appealed to Covil.
This past fall for Oscar Smith, Covil had 38 tackles, three interceptions and 21 pass breakups. He also plays for Level82鈥檚 traveling 7-on-7 squad. Covil is ranked as the 36th-best prospect from Virginia and the 138th-best cornerback nationally per 247Sports.
Covil said UVa valued his quickness.
鈥淭hey like how twitchy I am and how I can close distance really fast,鈥 Covil said, 鈥渟o if someone is 8 yards away and they鈥檙e catching the ball, I can close that distance super fast. That鈥檚 what they say they like about my game.鈥
Covil said he鈥檚 talked with Cox ever since UVa began showing interest in him.
鈥淎nd I鈥檓 looking forward to getting coached up by Coach Cox,鈥 Covil said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a great father figure and I know he鈥檚 going to turn me into a man right off the bat. I know going through UVa, I鈥檓 going to be a different person because of everything Coach Cox was going over on the official visit. I know he鈥檚 going to shape me into who I鈥檓 meant to be and I can鈥檛 wait for that.鈥
Covil said he didn鈥檛 have much interaction with Elliott when Sherrod Covil was being courted by Clemson, but quickly got to know Elliott during this recruitment at UVa.
Last month, Jayden Covil had an official visit at UVa, he said, and the highlight was a barbecue at Elliott鈥檚 house. Covil said he loved getting to see Elliott and all of the Cavaliers鈥 assistants away from the football field.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a family guy and that鈥檚 what I get from him,鈥 Covil said about Elliott. 鈥淓very time I see him, he鈥檚 the family guy and he鈥檚 going to bring everybody together in the room.鈥
Covil said he found it difficult to tell Virginia Tech and Wake Forest that he was headed elsewhere because he doesn鈥檛 like to disappoint people or turn them down.
But Covil was a match with the Cavaliers, he said, and he appreciated how they made sure they weren鈥檛 going to lose an in-state prospect to another school.
鈥淭o be a priority to them is an amazing feeling and I can鈥檛 wait to be there,鈥 Covil said.
