For most freshmen, Virginia’s 2026 roster doesn’t exactly scream instant opportunity. The Cavaliers are loaded with older bodies, older voices and older mileage, and that usually means first-year players spend the fall learning, lifting and waiting. But a few newcomers have paths that look a lot clearer than the rest.
Virginia’s preseason roster lists 28 graduate students and 26 seniors, enough veteran experience to fill out a full two-deep on its own. That total could climb, too, after a court granted another year of eligibility to a group that includes former Cavalier defensive end Cazeem Moore.
In that kind of room, freshmen usually have to settle in for a redshirt-type season. This year, though, the NCAA’s new “Five for Five” rule removes that option for many of them.
Even in a season where one true freshman made a real impact on Virginia’s 2025 ACC regular-season championship team, the bar for first-year production was still pretty high. Safety Corey Costner was the lone freshman who carved out a significant role, making two late-season starts and grabbing a couple of interceptions. Redshirt freshman tight end John Rogers appeared in all 14 games, while safety Montino Williams, receiver Isaiah Robinson and defensive lineman Sichan John saw only brief action, mostly on special teams or in one-sided early games.
That’s the backdrop for this year’s freshman class: veteran-heavy roster, very few easy openings, and a lot of waiting unless something changes fast. Linebacker is one of the rare spots where the door is cracked open.
Kam Robinson enters the season as a preseason All-ACC pick, but he’s easing back into preseason work after an ACL tear ended his 2025 season. Maddox Marcellus handled the job well while Robinson was out and is expected to start with him this fall.
Beyond that, the depth chart thins out quickly. Another senior, Landon Danley, is expected to miss the entire 2026 season with an undisclosed injury, and Virginia did not add any transfers at linebacker.
That gives freshmen Uran and Brannon a real shot to matter early. Uran is listed at 6-2, 205 and posted 23.5 tackles for loss, including 9.5 sacks, as a senior at Cincinnati’s Elder High School.
Brannon, at 6-2 and 219 pounds, brings a similar profile and had 108 tackles at Charlotte’s Independence High. Both will compete with senior Caleb Hardy and junior Myles Brown for backup spots, and whoever wins those jobs should get on the field - especially if Robinson isn’t all the way back to his best form right away.
Receiver is another place where a freshman could sneak into the rotation. Virginia brought in transfers Rico Flores Jr., Da’Shawn Martin, Jacquon Gibson and Tyson Davis to join returning slot receiver Kam Courtney, and Flores is expected to take the X receiver job. After that, the rest of the depth chart is wide open enough for Carter and Cope to push for snaps.
Carter, listed at 6-2 and 200 pounds, was a first-team all-state selection and helped lead Varina to the 2025 VHSL Class 4 state championship. Cope, at 6-3 and 193, put up 132 catches for 1,809 yards and 17 touchdowns over his final three seasons at Hewitt Trussville (Ala.)
High School. Offensive coordinator Des Kitchings likes a six-man receiver rotation to keep fresh legs on the field, and that gives both freshmen a legitimate chance to work into the mix because of their size, speed and athleticism.
There may even be another name worth watching in the defensive tackle group. Bull Richardson, a 6-1, 300-pound freshman and Carter’s teammate at Varina, could find a path to playing time in a crowded position room.
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