Virginia’s loss of Trell Harris keeps looking a little more painful.
The former UVA wideout is reportedly climbing fast on Oklahoma’s depth chart, and that’s enough to make any Virginia fan wince. Harris brought a running back-like burst after the catch, and that kind of production doesn’t just show up out of nowhere.
Still, Virginia didn’t sit on its hands after losing him. The Cavaliers added four transfer receivers who give the offense a real shot at filling that void in different ways: Rico Flores Jr., Da’Shawn Martin, Jacquon Gibson and Tyson Davis.
Flores Jr. and Gibson bring the cleaner, more polished parts of the position. They have the ball skills and control that offensive coordinator Des Kitchings wanted to add this offseason. Martin and Davis, on the other hand, offer the kind of open-field juice that can turn a routine catch into something much bigger.
All four have a chance to matter in 2026, and the early word out of fall camp has been encouraging. Flores Jr. has been late to practice because of his summer class schedule, but the reports on him have still been strong when he’s been out there.
Tony Elliott is especially bullish on Martin. During last week’s media session, he said:
"I was getting on de-de today, Da’Shawn Martin, because again, he's a guy that we believe has a ton of potential and upside. You just got to be consistent.
Two plays down there, running a corner ball down in the red zone. It's like, man, hey, that's a quarterback's best friend.
In the red zone is a corner ball."
Martin and Harris actually share another common thread: both came to Virginia from Kent State, and both bring a similar style. They can line up in different spots, move around the formation and see the field well once the ball is in their hands. That overlap makes it easy to understand why the staff is so high on Martin after seeing what Harris did in 2025.
Gibson might be the most complete receiver of the group, even if he isn’t the biggest threat after the catch. He could end up working both at “Z” and in the slot.
Davis hasn’t gotten nearly as much buzz this offseason, but he has the kind of quickness that can make a defense uncomfortable. Central Michigan’s staff was reportedly crushed when he entered the portal.
At 5-foot-10 and 187 pounds, he isn’t built to live on the boundary, but he looks like the kind of slot weapon who can come in, separate fast and make explosive plays without needing a ton of volume. He may only see two or three targets a game, but 15-plus yards per catch feels realistic.
Replacing Harris won’t be simple. But Virginia has put together a transfer receiver group with enough talent to make the job possible.
In Other News...
Virginia May Finally Have The Pass Rush Depth Fans Needed
Fall camp has brought a more encouraging tone around Virginias pass rush, with defensive coordinator John Rudzinski spending part of his media availability breaking down a group that looks deeper than it has in recent seasons. Fisher Camac, Matthew Fobbs-White, Jewett Hayes and Devon Baxter all drew mention as players who could help give the Cavaliers more pressure off the edge, and the overall message was one of cautious optimism about what that room might provide this fall.
Camac, in particular, sounds like a player the staff believes is on an upward track. Rudzinski pointed to his athleticism and his study habits as important pieces of his development, the kind of traits that can help a pass rusher turn flashes into steady production. Virginia has been looking for more consistent disruption in that area, so the real question now is whether this group can translate camp promise into something the defense can count on once the games start. [Read more 🡒]
Virginias Martin Carrere Could Solve A Backcourt Question This Fall
Martin Carrere arrives at Virginia with a profile that should make him interesting in more than one way. The 6-foot-9 forward transferred from VCU, brings shooting touch and some ball-handling ability, and fits into the kind of versatile mold Ryan Odom seems eager to explore as he pieces together the roster for the 2026-27 season. Carreres scoring numbers were modest last year, but his skill set gives Virginia a player who can help stretch the floor and do a little more than just play on the wing.
What makes Carrere especially intriguing is the possibility that he could end up easing some of the pressure in the backcourt. Virginia does not look especially deep behind Chance Mallory at point guard, and that could push the Cavaliers toward leaning on bigger, multi-skilled options to help start offense. If Carrere can handle the ball well enough to serve as a secondary initiator, it would give Odom a flexible answer to a roster question that may matter all winter. [Read more 🡒]
Beau Pribula Now Holds The Key To Virginias Ceiling
Virginias quarterback decision is now official, and with Missouri graduate transfer Beau Pribula tabbed as the starter, the Cavaliers have settled the most important position on the field heading into the season. Tony Elliott has been consistently upbeat about what Pribula has brought to the program, pointing to his leadership and poise, along with the way he has already connected with teammates and handled himself around the media.
John Rudzinskis view adds another layer to why this choice matters so much for Virginia. The defensive coordinator has emphasized Pribulas athleticism, his command of the offense and his ability to make life harder on the defense, which is exactly the kind of profile that can change what the Cavaliers are capable of this fall. The job now shifts from winning the competition to proving the ceiling really is higher with him at the controls. [Read more 🡒]