A Deeper Look At Virginia’s Newest Transfer EDGE Devon Baxter

Devon Baxter hasn’t seen the field a lot in his collegiate career thus far, playing more of a reserve role with the Michigan Wolverines. With the Cavaliers, who need some pass-rush help, he should be able to carve out a role. Here is more on Baxter via his Michigan Wolverines Bio

Freshman (2024)

• Did not see game action

Prep

• Attended Gwynn Park High School (2024) coached by Danny Hayes

• Helped Gwynn Park reach the second round of the MPSSAA 2A playoffs his senior year (2023), finishing with a 7-4 record

• The team was 5-5 his junior year and 6-5 his sophomore season

• Also lettered in basketball for the Highlanders

Key Statistics

• Made 55 tackles including 13 sacks with nine pass breakups and three fumble recoveries his senior season

• As a junior, posted 48 stops with 21.0 tackles for loss and 15 sacks; added 12 receptions for 181 yards with four touchdowns on offense

• As a sophomore on varsity, made 23 tackles with six sacks and caught seven passes totaling 73 yards

Coming out of high school, Baxter was ranked high and a highly touted prospect. Baxter was a four-star prospect, the No. 7 player in Maryland, the No.16 edge rusher, and a top 200 national recruit, per 247Sports. A big part of what made him so good was his quick first step and how he could use his athleticism to bend and move past offensive lineman to get to the quarterback. He had a number of big games and multi-sack contests.

Here is more on him as a high school prospect from 247Sports national recruiting analyst Brian Dohn when he was coming out

“Quick-twitched athlete covers a lot of ground in first few steps with big upside. Plays basketball and has two-way snaps at Gwynn Park as an edge rusher and receiver and tight end. Can rush the passer, chase plays down and possesses the athleticism to drop into coverage. Has verified size and length, and the frame to add 20 to 30 pounds and not lose speed or agility. During in-person evaluation, quickness at the snap and athleticism were quickly noticeable. Plays standing up but could put his hand on the ground. Shows explosion at the snap and can dip his shoulder to get around the edge. Body control is good and will continue to improve as his frame fills out. Changes direction with balance. Known how to use his hands to keep the offensive lineman off. Relies heavily on speed and superior athleticism as the high school level. Aggressive tackler and does well in one-on-one situations because of his length and tenacity. Explosion shows best when lined up inside with hand on the ground. Displays some stack-and-shed ability. Willing to do anything to help his team. Sometimes looks a little unsure and it impacts the speed of play. Building muscle mass and adding strength is vital to be effective at the Power 5 level. Developing his technique and combining move sets is needed. Can be a high-level edge player for a top program. Has NFL draft potential.”

Virginia now continues to build and bolster its roster and defensive lineup for the 2026 season after a stellar showing in 2025, where they nearly won an ACC title. Baxter is the perfect young candidate who needs an opportunity to show what he can do to make an impact next fall.

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