Matoaca (VA) senior defensive line prospect and University of Virginia football commit Keyshawn Burgos did not have to look far to learn the value of hard work and dedication.

“I got it from my parents,” he said. “Both of my parents didn’t come from distinguished families that had a lot. Both came from small families struggling while growing up. They had to grow up faster than most kids. They kept grinding. My mom had to get a job at 15. She worked nights to go to school in the morning. At four years old I remember her going to college, staying up all night with four kids. It showed me I have to work for everything.”

Giving all-out-effort helped Burgos thrive on the gridiron for the Warriors this past spring. It helped him on the wrestling mat, where he captured regional and Class 5 championships as a junior last year. It also helped him this June, when recruiting essentially reopened following a dead period that last over a year because of the coronavirus.

COVID-19 cost Burgos and the rest of the class of 2022 the chance to compete at college camps in the summer of 2020, something that could have put the Matoaca standout firmly on the Division 1 recruiting radar a year earlier. Instead, the 6’5”, 235-pound prospect had one summer to shine in front of college coaches before his senior year. He received invites to a handful of college camps this summer. Burgos rose to the occasion, earning scholarship offers from Richmond, Army, Old Dominion, Navy, West Virginia, James Madison, and finally UVA.

Burgos worked out in front of head coach Bronco Mendenhall and defensive line coach Clint Sintim in Charlottesville on June 25. He returned home with a scholarship offer.

“I try my best in anything I do,” Burgos said when asked about his camp performances. “I got the camp invites. I took the initiative and went. That’s how it turned out. I’m not saying I came in knowing I was going to get anything. I count my blessings.”

On Thursday, July 15, Burgos announced his verbal commitment to UVA.