With Virginia set to open its 2026 campaign at Scott Stadium in 37 days, the Cavaliers are carrying real momentum into a season that follows an 11-win breakthrough. Still, the message around the program has been consistent: last year is over, and nothing carries over for free. Every role has to be won again.
That makes the preseason pecking order of Virginia’s position groups especially interesting. Some units look loaded at the top.
Others are still sorting out who belongs where. And a few are going to be tested early.
The offensive line stands out because of what Virginia already knows it has. Noah Josey and Drake Metcalf are back, and the expectation is that McKale Boley and Monroe Mills will give the Cavaliers one of the best tackle pairings they’ve had in a long time.
Both are graduate veterans, both have earned All-ACC recognition, and both have already handled elite competition. The only real question is who joins the interior group next to Josey and Metcalf.
If it’s frontrunner Makilan Thomas, he’ll be moving from tackle to guard. If it’s Ryan Brubaker, he’ll be stepping into a new scheme and a new program, unlike several others who have been around for multiple seasons.
At running back, Virginia may actually be deeper than it was a year ago. The group has grown from four capable runners to six, and that should translate into more production.
The mix is part of the appeal here: north-south runners, receiving backs, pass-protection backs and more. It’s a more balanced room, but not one that looks crowded in a bad way.
Linebacker is another unit that earns its spot near the top because of how reliable the front line already looks. Kam Robinson, Maddox Marcellus and Landon Danley form one of the conference’s best tackling trios, and Robinson is even a candidate for ACC Defensive Player of the Year. The depth behind those three is thin, but the top end is strong enough to carry real weight.
Virginia’s safety group belongs in the upper tier too. Brandyn Hillman and Ethan Minter make up one of the ACC’s best duos on the back end, while Corey Costner at SPUR is emerging as a rising star. The concern is what comes after that, where a group of veteran transfers still has to prove it can be trusted as Power Four depth.
Cornerback is ranked highly for a different reason: competition. There may not be a clean answer yet on who starts, but there is no shortage of talent. Donavon Platt, Omillio Agard, Jacobie Henderson, Josaiah Persinger, Ja’Maric Morris, Jam Jackson, Patrick Campeball and others all have a path to playing time.
Virginia’s defensive front has some intriguing pieces, starting with Fisher Camac, who was a productive pickup last offseason and could be even better in 2026. Matthew Fobbs-White may end up starting opposite him at BANDIT, but there are still a few things to sort out, and some of that could happen early in the season. The room has some interesting dart throws, but also a few unanswered questions.
The wide receiver group brings its own uncertainty. Kam Courtney has to show he can be a consistent starter, and Virginia still has to figure out who lines up with Rico Flores Jr.
Jacquon Gibson and Da’Shawn Martin are also in the mix for more targets. Some of those answers may come after a few games, but the group still has too many open questions to feel settled.
Tight end has a little more proven production, though it’s not without pressure points. Dakota Twitty has flashed the ability to be highly productive when healthy.
After him, John Rogers, Connor Cox and Lukas Ungar have to do more, especially with Sage Ennis gone. Virginia needs those players to hold up as blockers and provide red-zone value.
At quarterback, Beau Pribula is now officially QB1, and the fit gives him star potential in Virginia’s scheme. Eli Holstein gives the Cavaliers an experienced backup.
Beyond that, the picture gets murkier fast. A few underclassmen struggled against Virginia’s defense at the spring game, and the 2027 backup may not be on the roster, just like the 2028 starter may not be either.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Added A Nonconference Game Fans Will Debate Fast
Virginia Techs nonconference calendar picked up a little more shape this week, with contracts obtained by The Roanoke Times confirming matchups against Central Florida and Mercer for an upcoming season. The additions give the Hokies another chance to test themselves outside league play, and the UCF pairing stands out immediately because the Knights are coming off a 2026 NCAA Tournament appearance.
The details around that game make it especially interesting for fans trying to gauge the schedules true value. It will be played at a neutral site at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida, and it also marks the first meeting between Virginia Tech and UCF since 2000, while Mercer has not faced the Hokies since 2006. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Roussell Just Delivered An Early Virginia Win Fans Needed
Virginias womens basketball program picked up a noteworthy addition with the commitment of a four-star recruit, a top-100 national prospect who gives Aaron Roussell another sign that the roster-building in Charlottesville is moving in the right direction. The news matters not just because of the talent involved, but because Virginia has been trying to stack enough high-end pieces to keep pace in a league where recruiting momentum can change a programs ceiling quickly.
There was also a bit of scheduling news that should appeal to longtime followers of the program, with Virginia set to renew its nonconference rivalry with Old Dominion in a home-and-home series in the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons. It is the kind of matchup that carries some history behind it, and for a Virginia team looking to sharpen itself before league play, getting a familiar regional opponent back on the calendar adds a little extra edge to the early years of Roussells tenure. [Read more 🡒]
Virginias Next Season Rides On Chance Mallory Becoming More Than Steady
Chance Mallory gave Virginia exactly what a freshman guard is supposed to give a team trying to stay steady: dependable minutes, sound decisions and a defensive edge that showed up in the numbers as well as the eye test. He averaged 9.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals, and his place near the top of the ACC in assist-to-turnover ratio said plenty about how quickly he handled the college game.
Now the question is whether that reliable foundation can turn into something bigger. Virginia is counting on Mallory to grow into a more assertive presence as a sophomore, and the next step is not just about keeping the offense organized. It is about whether he can become the kind of lead guard who forces defenses to adjust and gives the Cavaliers a clearer direction for the season ahead. [Read more 🡒]