Virginia offensive tackle Ryan Swoboda is learning what it's like to be recruited the second time around.
A member of the Class of 2017, the Clermont, Fla., native was a late bloomer coming out of Windermere Prep with just a lone offer from UVA. He's since developed into one of the ACC's top offensive linemen.
After an initial redshirt year, the 6-foot-10, 325-pounder starting earning playing time and starts, ultimately becoming the full-time right tackle starter in 2020 and 2021.
Now he's in the transfer portal looking for a fresh opportunity for his final year of college football.
UCFSports.com caught up with Swoboda on Monday evening, fresh off his weekend official visit to check out the hometown Knights. He's planning to announce his college decision on Wednesday morning.
We're all learning about the transfer portal and being recruited the second time around. You're an older guy, already graduated from Virginia. What has this process been like for you?
Swoboda: "It's different for me because in high school I had one offer. It was a lot easier back then. I didn't have to do much work at all. It's been good. A lot of schools reached out and were interested. It was cool talking football with a bunch of football guys. I loved that part about it. I've had different conferences reach out. I've narrowed it down to Penn State, Miami, UCF, Virginia Tech and Mississippi State. All have great things to offer and I've learned about all these different programs. It's been a fun process for me."
You've had a great career, developing into a great offensive tackle at Virginia. But you said you only had one offer coming out of high school. Why was that? Were you a late bloomer? I know Windermere Prep hasn't really been known for football.
"That's probably a little bit of it. Really just strength numbers. Not knowing how I'd develop and stuff like that. UVA helped develop me. I've been telling UCF, if they had just offered me right out of high school, I would have been here. I'm right in the backyard. I'm right here. But yeah, just the one (offer) so it was pretty easy for me."
Did UCF recruit you at all back then? Your senior year would have been in 2016, Class of 2017. That was Scott Frost's first year at UCF. Did you ever hear from them?
"No. I tried to go to some camps and stuff like that, but I didn't hear anything. UVA just really took a shot in the dark. My sophomore year I was 6-8, 170 (pounds). I don't think people think three-year starter in the ACC when they see that. I get it."
How would you sum up your career at Virginia the past five years? I'm sure you had a lot of good experiences, obviously graduated with a degree, I'm sure you made lifelong friends, and Bronco Mendenhall really turned things around as you were getting going.
"Lifelong friends. Coaches and mentors that I think will go much longer than the time that I was there. I loved it. I got to play ACC football. I played for four years and started for three. I got to play a lot of really good teams, playing some big-time games. ACC Championship. Going to bowls. Really fun stuff like that. Academic wise, I've learned so much. The classes are brilliant. Spending five years around really good football players and really smart student body, it's been great just to help me develop mentally, spiritually, physically. All of it. I've loved every second of it."
What's it been like with UCF the past couple weeks as they're recruiting you from the portal? Herb Hand is the offensive line coach there. You just got back from a visit. Have you bonded with those guys? What's been their message throughout this process?
"They want to run the ball. Coach Malzahn runs that ball. The offensive line, obviously you've got to be great at run blocking. You've got to develop. Coach Hand is one of the best there is. Just talking to him and talking ball. On our official visit, they had scheduled an hour to watch film. We were in there for almost five hours. I loved it. His mind and the way he thinks about o-line play is just brilliant. Just talking to him and understanding how he can help me develop as a player, it fires me up. I love Coach Malzahn. I love Coach Hand and the idea of potentially coming back home. I'm 25 minutes away. That fires me up. UCF is on the rise. They just beat Florida. It's exciting stuff."
UCF has a few local guys, but you're a little bit older so maybe guys have moved on. Do you know anybody at UCF?
"I'm too old. I've been in this for too long. All my friends have graduated and started their life."
Did you get to hang out with any of the current offensive linemen during your visit?
"Matt Lee, I hung out with him for a while. Real cool guy. He went to Hagerty. I liked him a lot. I think every locker room in America is filled with really great people. Coming here and meeting a guy like Matt, wow, wherever I decide to go I'll be set making more lifelong friends. It was really good to meet Matt."
You've been in Virginia and doing your thing up there, but have you been aware of UCF's rise the last few years with Frost and Gus coming in this past year? Obviously just beat Florida. Have you been aware of UCF?
"Back in high school, I loved UCF. I rooted for them every game. I absolutely love them. Yeah, I followed them but probably two, three years ago might have lost track. I definitely watched the bowl game against Florida. They're just running and the physical brand of football with the tempo that Coach Malzahn does. It's exciting to watch. It was fun to watch them in that fourth quarter against Florida, just absolutely imposing their will. I might have lost track a little bit, but watching them they're on the rise for sure."
What was it like talking with Coach Malzahn this weekend? What was his message to you and did you enjoy getting to know him better?
"He's a man of his word. We talked for a good amount of time. I liked it a lot. He's looking for great athletes and great people. I'm looking for that on the reverse end. He just explained to me how that match could be so good. I agree. I think it would be a good match. He's a great person, great football mind. Some of the guys were joking all he ever thinks about is football. That's probably what you want in a head football coach. I was very impressed with Coach Malzahn."
We're all learning how this portal recruiting works. Some schools can host visits early, some schools have to wait. Is UCF the only visit you've had? Are you planning on going anywhere else?
"I missed one with Penn State due to COVID. I've got one scheduled to Miami and another to Virginia Tech. Ultimately, I'm not going to go. It's really because of this time restraint the NCAA does. They're only allowed to do visits seven days before classes start. Which I suppose sounds good on paper, but let's say Miami, they start on the 18th, the earliest I could visit is on the 11th. But I need to make a decision with UCF or Penn State that start on the 10th because they start classes then. It's really almost impossible to take all of these visits without being in no man's land or enrolling a week and a half late to a potential school. It's kind of hard with that. I'm not sure what precedent there is with people doing this, but it's kind of put me in a pickle to where I've got to make a decision without going on my arranged visits."
What's the plan on Wednesday? Are you putting something out on social media? Making a big announcement?
"I just said Wednesday because today is my mom's birthday and I'm going to hang out with my mom. We've got some things to do tomorrow. I figured Wednesday morning I'll be available. I'll probably type something on a notepad and tweet it out at 10. I don't have any big plans. I'm not going to pull a school bus over a logo."
