These 2029 Recruits Are Already Generating Major Buzz in Virginia

<p>We recently published our <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/06/updated-2029-virginia-rankings/" id="https://prepredzone.com/2026/06/updated-2029-virginia-rankings/">updated rankings for the 2029 class</a>, and a handful of players in the cycle have been gaining a lot of steam in the recruiting world. All five of these athletes have been risers over the past month or so.</p>   <p><strong>Related:</strong> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/06/class-of-2029-prospects-who-are-skyrocketing-up-recruiting-boards/">Class of 2029 Prospects Who Are Skyrocketing up Recruiting Boards</a></p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Virginia's top-ranked quarterback for 2029, [player_tooltip player_id='1290145' first='Lord' last='Malik Heru'], looked like a seasoned veteran as a freshman last year after throwing for 3,004 yards and 40 touchdowns for Indian River. He already displays top-notch footwork and excellent mechanics, making him an astronomically intriguing prospect for the future.</p>   <p>He's also a great athlete, consistently being able to outrun opposing linebackers and defensive backs for big chunks of yardage on the ground. He already has offers from programs like Auburn, Alabama, Nebraska, and South Carolina, and he's just getting started.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/heru_lord/status/2065395826545901873?s=20 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1522546' first='Patrick' last='Mize'] is a top-notch linebacker prospect in the 2029 class, and he's already shown the ability to read and diagnose plays at a fairly high level. He rarely gets fooled with play action, and he always manages to be in the right place at the right time against both the run and pass.</p>   <p class="text-gray-700">Mize is going to be an absolute star on Woodberry Forest's defense over the next three years, and he's undoubtedly going to start raking in the offers from D1 programs soon.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1398086' first='Colton' last='Dabkowski'] earned a top performer spot in PrepRedzone's "Stock Up" event earlier in the year, and he hasn't stopped impressing since then.</p>   <p>He also threw for a whopping 2,467 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and only 6 interceptions as a freshman, while completing 66% of his passes for Woodgrove HS. He has a great arm and is surprisingly accurate in the intermediate areas of the field. </p>   <p>If he continues on this path, the sky is the limit for the talented young signal-caller. [player_tooltip player_id='1398086' first='Colton' last='Dabkowski']'s a player to keep in mind over the next few seasons.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ColtonDabkowski/status/2003219439475732681?s=20 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1719560' first='Elijah' last='Nickens'] is a super-athletic, dual-sport athlete who's fun to watch on both the football field and basketball court. </p>   <p>On the football field, he's an incredibly talented wide receiver prospect who's consistently able to get consistent separation with his above-average short-area quickness and speed. It's very hard for defensive backs to keep up with him after his initial break at hip-level, especially on in-breakers when the defenders have outside leverage.</p>   <p>It's going to be incredibly interesting to see what Nickens can do as a full-time starter at wide receiver as a sophomore. He's participated in a few different camps this summer, and that should definitely jumpstart his recruiting interest as well.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ElijahNickens/status/2063807341913362705?s=20 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1743636' first='Andrew' last='Rogers'] has great size and athleticism for the wide receiver position, and he displays quite a few things that college coaches like to see from young pass-catchers. He has a twitchy first step, has excellent hands, and has been working hard on his craft</p>   <p>He didn't see much time on varsity in 2025, but he's undoubtedly set to have a big season as a sophomore in 2026. Rogers has been impressing all summer long at a plethora of different camps and 7-on-7 events, so it wouldn't be surprising at all to see him receive some offers soon.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/andrew1_rogers/status/2068915171808948680?s=20 </div></figure>    <p></p>

We recently published our updated rankings for the 2029 class, and a handful of players in the cycle have been gaining a lot of steam in the recruiting world. All five of these athletes have been risers over the past month or so.