Virginia landed at 83 overall in the first wave of EA Sports College Football 2027 team ratings, putting the Cavaliers in a three-way tie for third in the ACC.
EA Sports released the numbers Tuesday afternoon after beginning to roll out team and player ratings earlier in the week ahead of the game’s July 9 launch. Virginia checked in at 82 on offense, 83 on defense and 83 on special teams, good for an 83 overall mark.
In the league standings by rating, Miami sits alone at the top at 88 overall. Louisville follows at 84, while Clemson, SMU and Virginia are all tied at 83. Florida State comes in at 82.
On the player side, left guard Noah Josey is Virginia’s highest-rated player, earning a 90 overall and ranking inside the top 10 among guards. Linebacker Kam Robinson is next at 88, followed by defensive end Fisher Camac at 87.
A cluster of Cavaliers landed in the mid-80s, including safeties Ethan Minter (86) and Brandyn Hillman (85), running backs Jekail Middlebrook and Peyton Lewis (both 85), tackles McKale Boley and Monroe Mills (both 85), and defensive end Matthew Fobbs-White and nickel Corey Costner, each at 83.
Virginia also had a strong showing at receiver and in the secondary. Donavon Platt was rated 82 at cornerback, while Daniel Sparks earned an 82 as the punter. Christian Ellis and Jaylen Jones were each given 82 at safety, and wideouts Da’Shawn Martin and Rico Flores Jr. both landed at 82.
The full group of Cavaliers rated 75 or better included Jam Jackson at 81, Drake Metcalf at 81, Solomon Beebe at 80, Jacquon Gibson at 80, Jacobie Henderson at 79, Jason Hammond at 79, Noah Vaughn at 79, Xavier Brown at 79, quarterbacks Eli Holstein and Beau Pribula at 79, Kam Courtney at 79, Anthony Britton at 78, Will Bettridge at 78, Dakota Twitty at 78, Jonathan Allen at 77, Xay Davis at 77, Makilan Thomas at 77, Maddox Marcellus at 77, Tyson Davis at 77, Josiah Persinger at 76, Darrion Henry-Young at 76, and Omillio Agard, Ezekiel Larry, Nnanna Anyanwu and Josiah Abdullah at 75.
In Other News...
Virginia May Have Finally Found The Wing It Was Missing
Virginias offseason search for more size and balance on the perimeter appears to have taken a meaningful step forward. German small forward Nolan Adekunle, who plays for Gladiators Trier in the G-BBL, fits the profile the Cavaliers have been trying to add: a versatile wing who can defend multiple spots and make teams pay from the arc, where he shot 42.3% last season.
For a program that has been looking to stabilize its perimeter rotation, Adekunle brings a type of two-way flexibility that can matter quickly. His presence should give Virginia another option on the wing for the 2026/2027 season and could ease some of the positional shuffling elsewhere on the roster, though the full shape of how he fits in will only become clearer once the rest of the lineup settles. [Read more 🡒]
Beau Pribula Faces One Huge Question In Virginia's 2026 Hopes
Early quarterback rankings for 2026 already have Beau Pribula in the mix as one of the more intriguing names in the ACC conversation, and Virginias interest is easy to understand. The Cavaliers are looking at a season in which the quarterback spot could shape everything, and Pribulas appeal is tied to the same thing that has followed him throughout his rise: there is real talent there, but the next step is about becoming a more polished passer.
Virginias best-case scenario is not simply asking Pribula to carry the offense on his own. A stronger run game could take some of the pressure off and let the Cavaliers play to his strengths while keeping the offense efficient and dangerous. The bigger question is whether that structure allows him to settle in quickly enough for Virginia to get the kind of season it wants, or whether the refinement he still needs becomes the difference between a promising setup and something more. [Read more 🡒]