With the season right around the corner for the Virginia Cavaliers, we continue our preseason position previews with the group owning the most uncertainty ahead of Week One — the secondary.
Aside from Jonas Sanker putting on the cape and playing Superman, the secondary struggled throughout 2024. The ‘Hoos were one of the nation’s worst in passing yards allowed per game while allowing 8.2 yards per pass, a mark that also ranked in the bottom third of FBS teams. Struggling to get the pass-rush humming
certainly contributed to how bad both of those stats proved to be, but the ‘Hoos needed to overhaul the position and that’s exactly what Tony Elliott did, bringing in nine defensive backs out of the transfer portal.
A look at how the unit shapes up ahead of the new season:
Outside Cornerbacks
UVA will almost solely rely on transfers across the board with Jam Jackson and Dre Walker both suffering injuries that will hold Jackson out for the entire season and Walker for at least the majority of it. The ‘Hoos will also be without Georgia State transfer Ja’Maric Morris for the duration of the year after he suffered a knee injury earlier this month.
Donavan Platt looks to be a mainstay at one of those spots after coming over from West Point. As an older, more experienced player who has gone through the rigors of being a student-athlete at a service academy, he figures to be a critical and experienced player, given his starting experience in all 14 games for the Black Knights last year.
Emmanuel Karnley was one of the highest-rated players to hit the portal in the spring after his short stint with Miami. Standing tall at 6-foot-3, 184 pounds, he gives this defense the length and athleticism that it desperately needed. Jordan Robinson adds to that as well. At 6-foot-4, the Cincinnati transfer is rangy corner who, along with Karnley, should enable defensive coordinator John Rudzinski to call a more aggressive game, as opposed to sitting back and cautiously ensuring the secondary keeps things in front of them like much of last season.
The ‘Hoos also bring in four-star and top-15 player in the state, Josiah Persinger, who is another candidate to steal snaps throughout the year, along with Utah transfer Kenan Johnson, who won a starting job with the Utes a year ago before an injury kept him out for the entirety of the year. Johnson is an experienced player with 63 career tackles and three forced fumbles, playing most of his career to this point at Georgia Tech.
Safeties
The ‘Hoos picked up crucial momentum back in December with the addition of Louisville transfer, Devin Neal, a former All-ACC performer in 2023. Neal is a guy Tony Elliott hopes can pick up where Jonas Sanker left off as a consistent, do-it-all safety, especially with Antonio Clary working back from a knee injury. Tony Elliott said last week they anticipated Clary would be cleared to play at the end of August. Clary is not listed on the two-deep for the opener, but seems to only be weeks away from stepping onto the field. Whenever that is, it seems likely he steps into that second starting spot as another productive playmaker, especially against the run.
The depth will come at the hands of sophomore Ethan Minter and New Mexico State transfer Da’Marcus Crosby II. Minter stood out in 2024 as the lone freshman in to play in all 12 games, highlighted by his clutch interception against Louisville. His production took a step up after the loss of Clary with multi-tackle games against SMU and UNC down the stretch. Though minimal, his experience in John Rudzinski’s system may be what vaults him to make his first career start in the opener.
Crosby II is the taller option at 6-foot-2, 193 pounds and makes the jump up to the power-four level after an 81-tackle season in ‘24. He nabbed five interceptions combined in his last two seasons, an area Elliott has emphasized the ‘Hoos must improve.
Highly regarded as an all-around athlete, freshman Corey Costner is another piece that could see time as a three-star recruit out of Baltimore.
SPUR/nickel
An underrated name to watch for in UVA’s portal haul is Ja’Son Prevard from Morgan State. Prevard was notably one of the few transfer DB’s to join the ‘Hoos for spring practice, having committed last December. Prevard has since been repeatedly praised from the staff for his versatility to play all over the field. He joins the ‘Hoos as a junior and was a ballhawk for Morgan State as an underclassman.
The New Jersey native totaled five pass breakups and nabbed an interception as a full-time starter with the Bears in 2024 and was an FCS Freshman All-American in 2023. As one of the many longer secondary pieces on this defense, Prevard seems to be the primary candidate to start at the SPUR spot.
Christian Charles from Tennessee is another option here as well. He has experience at both safety and corner in his time with the Vols, providing another veteran presence that is no stranger to big games. I would not be surprised to see him featured as a hybrid like Prevard, though he may also slot in at safety as a second veteran-guy to pair with Neal. Charles is gritty against the run with the instinct and toughness that resembles the likes of Clary, a great trait to pair with what should be an improved defensive line in 2025.
