Virginia’s fall camp has started to sort itself into winners and laggards, and a little more than halfway through the practice schedule, some names are clearly trending up while others still have work to do.
One of the biggest risers in Charlottesville has been transfer receiver Jahmal Edrine Gibson. Rico Flores Jr. and Da’Shawn Martin have looked fine, but Gibson has been the most impressive of the new wideouts.
He’s sudden, smooth in his routes and reliable at the catch point. If Kam Courtney doesn’t make a move next week, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see Gibson open Week 0 against NC State as the slot starter.
The running back room has also produced a clear separation. Jekail Middlebrook hasn’t just taken the job - he’s run away with it.
He’s been Virginia’s best runner and the best pass-catching back in camp, and the way things look now, he’s positioned as the Cavaliers’ “1A” with Peyton Lewis as the “1B.” That’s the opposite of what most people expected coming into spring and fall camp.
The next question is whether Middlebrook becomes a workhorse in 2026 the way J’Mari Taylor was in 2025, which would only widen the gap between him and Lewis.
In the trenches, Henry-Young has made his presence felt. At 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds, his length jumps off the field.
He’s been able to extend into blockers, keep their hands off his chest and shed early in the rep. The top defensive tackles so far have been Jason Hammond, Anthony Britton, Henry-Young and Sichan John, with Chase Morrison also drawing praise for his quickness inside.
John has been one of the more notable physical transformations on the roster. He dropped extra weight in year two and replaced it with muscle, and it’s showing in practice. He was already viewed as a candidate for a big jump this offseason, and that’s exactly what camp has suggested.
Another defensive lineman making noise is Reid, who has added 20 pounds and gotten much stronger, according to strength and conditioning coach Adam Smotherman. Smotherman said Reid can squat 600 pounds, and that added power is showing up on the field in both phases.
At BANDIT, Hayes has been running with the first-team defense while Matthew Fobbs-White is out with a leg injury. Hayes has put on a lot of weight over the past two seasons, and the payoff is visible as a run defender. He’s harder to move now and isn’t getting pushed around the way he did in previous offseasons.
There’s also been steady buzz around a player who has been working back toward full health. He’s been a popular subject in media coverage, and the reason is easy to understand: the coaching staff was clearly eager to get him to UVA this offseason.
On the field, another player who has drawn attention has been a better passer than many expected. Everyone knew he could run well, but even with an unconventional throwing motion, he’s been very effective in the short and intermediate game.
On offense, tight end Cox has quietly stood out as both a blocker and a receiver. At 6-foot-6, he still manages to keep his pad level and center of gravity low when he blocks, which is exactly what teams want to see from a bigger tight end. The expectation is that he’ll see plenty of the field in 2026.
Virginia’s offensive line picture also includes Alex Payne, an overlooked incoming transfer despite being a blue-chip offensive tackle recruit in 2025. He’s been mentioned often by the coaching staff during camp, and there’s a strong chance he ends up in the two-deep at either left tackle or right tackle before the regular season begins.
Not everyone has surged. One player who came in with plenty of buzz has been quiet so far for Tony Elliott and his staff, and the transition to UVA and to life in Charlottesville appears to have been tougher than expected.
Another highly regarded name heading into 2026, Ellinger has been merely okay. He hasn’t taken the step Virginia needed from him, and rotational linemen like Grayson Reid and Cole Surber have looked better.
This was the stretch when Ellinger needed to lock down a spot as a top-four offensive guard, but that hasn’t happened yet.
Newton-Short has also been underwhelming compared with expectations. He’s looked fine, but not like the player many fans hoped to see after his true freshman snaps last season. The coaches want more from him before camp ends.
Then there’s Simmons, Virginia’s top-ranked recruit in the 2024 class, who has had a hard time finding his footing in Charlottesville. The junior defensive tackle has looked like a tweener, and he’s played like one. He hasn’t shown the strength to hold up consistently inside, and he hasn’t flashed enough pass-rush skill to stick on the edge.
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