CHARLOTTESVILLE 鈥 Last week, Varina standout wide receiver DaMari Carter made the choice to pledge to Virginia.
Proximity alone made UVa the closest Power Four program for Carter to play for, but that simply wasn鈥檛 going to win the battle on its own for UVa considering Maryland and Virginia Tech 鈥 two close-enough options 鈥 were Carter鈥檚 other finalists.
The Cavaliers prioritized him, he said.
鈥淚t felt good to know I didn鈥檛 have to go far to play college football,鈥 Carter told The Daily Progress, 鈥渁nd that I could stay home and play some football. It played a big part and that felt good.鈥
Carter earned offers from 19 schools, including the ones from the Cavaliers, the Hokies and the Terrapins. ACC members Boston College, Duke, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Wake Forest offered and so did other power-conference programs in Indiana and West Virginia.
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鈥淏ut the relationship I鈥檝e built with Virginia is phenomenal,鈥 Carter said, 鈥渁nd when I took my visit not too long ago, it felt like home when I got there with the coaches and the players. The community felt like a home in Charlottesville.鈥
He said he knows about 10 to 15 future teammates either on the Cavaliers鈥 roster currently or in their 2026 recruiting class.
On top of his familiarity with UVa鈥檚 personnel, Carter said he grew fond of Hoos third-year wide receivers coach Adam Mims during the recruiting process.
鈥淢e and Coach Mims have a good bond,鈥 Carter said. 鈥淐oach Mims always reaches out and makes sure I鈥檓 OK. He texts daily and we talk a lot, and we鈥檝e built a great relationship and I feel like that鈥檚 a coach I can trust to get me to the next level.鈥
Carter said Mims鈥 plan is to ultimately use Carter as a wide receiver and a slot receiver with the Cavaliers. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder was a VHSL Class 4 All-State first-team selection in 2024, and he said how UVa projects to deploy him and move him around is very similar to how Varina used him this past season.
He said he thinks one of his best attributes is being able to come down with a pass when opposing coverage is tight.
鈥淚 know with playing receiver you鈥檙e going to have to catch the ball,鈥 Carter said, 鈥渂ut I can make outstanding catches. I can make great catches.鈥
Carter said he鈥檒l also bring value to UVa as a returner and that he鈥檇 like to be able to contribute on special teams.
鈥淚t鈥檚 actually funny,鈥 Carter said. 鈥淵ou go back to your childhood and it鈥檚 like you鈥檙e playing football in the backyard. You鈥檙e on the run and you just don鈥檛 want to get tackled. That鈥檚 how it is on the football field. You don鈥檛 want to get tackled because on special teams, they鈥檙e trying to take your head off. You don鈥檛 want to get touched by anybody. That makes the game more fun.鈥
Carter is one of three wide receivers committed to the Cavaliers in the class of 2026. Both Dylan Cope of Hewitt-Trussville (Alabama) and Josiah Teasley of St. James Academy (Springfield) made their decisions last month.
Mims was the lead recruiter on Cope and Teasley, too.
