Five players who could put Virginia over the top in 2026

Regardless of the sport or level of competition, any team is only as good as its weakest link.

Virginia's quest for a second straight appearance in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game (and first-ever College Football Playoff appearance) will hinge on multiple factors, several of them unknown

Coach Tony Elliott has assembled another deep, experienced squad. But several expected key contributors will be asked to assume bigger roles than they filled at previous stops or to excel against a higher caliber of opponent.

Rarely does everything go according to plan. But here are five players whose performances this season should determine just how high Virginia's ceiling can be:

1. QB Beau Pribula

We'll start with the most obvious one. Quarterback is the most important position in team sports, and few teams excel without above-average play from their signal callers.

Pribula enjoyed some spectacular moments last season at Missouri, including a 334-yard, three-touchdown passing day in a come-from-behind win over Kansas. He also finished the season with almost as many interceptions (nine) as touchdown passes (11).

Virginia offensive coordinator Des Kitchings rarely asks his quarterback to be a hero, With a veteran offensive line and capable skill players surrounding him, Pribula won't need to throw for 300 yards every week. His job will be to stay healthy, make good decisions, connect on a few key passes in clutch time and avoid putting his defense in bad position with turnovers.

It's a step up from the dreaded "game manager" cliche, but if Pribula is steady, his team will have a good chance to win each week.

2. RB Peyton Lewis

Once rated the nation's fourth-best running back prospect at Salem High School, Lewis saw mostly backup duty in two seasons at Tennessee. He was productive, scoring 10 touchdowns on 134 career carries.

Lewis figures to split time in the Virginia backfield with fellow transfer Jekail Middlbrook (Middle Tennessee State). At 6-1 and 212 pounds, Lewis seems like the logical successor to J'Mari Taylor as the workhorse ball-carrier, with Middlebrook perhaps becoming the change -of-pace back.

Kitchings loves to pound the ball on early downs, and with experienced blockers in front of him, Taylor could get lots of carries. He might not match Taylor's 14 rushing touchdowns of a year ago, but he could keep the Cavaliers ahead of the chains and make Pribula's job much easier.

3. WR Rico Flores Jr.

Another player who could benefit from a powerful ground game is Taylor, a senior transfer from UCLA. He has prototypical size (6-2, 211) and the strength to create separation and get deep if opponents start stacking the box against the run.

Flores has experience playing in the Big Ten, which has produced the past three national champions. He topped 50 receiving yards last season in games against the last two champs, Ohio State and Indiana, so he has shown a knack for getting open.

If Flores and company can help the Cavaliers achieve the kind of offensive balance they showed last year (239 passing yards, 179 rushing yards per game), they'll be in every contest.

4. S Brandyn Hillman

Another state native who has come home, HIllman has a national championship ring from his freshman season at Michigan and finished fourth on the Wolverines with 49 tackles last season, including seven against Ohio State.

Just as a quarterback is vital to the offense's hopes, safeties are the defense's backstops, cleaning up mistakes and preventing costly big plays. Hillman was a consensus top-10 player in the state at Churchland High School in Portsmouth and hopes to take his game to a new level in 2026.

5. LB Kam Robinson

As with Pribula on offense, this is a no-brainer. Virginia fans have come to appreciate Robinson's elite playmaking ability; he has returned three of his five career interceptions for touchdowns.

For the first time in his career, though, Robinson is dealing with adversity as he returns from an ACL tear that ended his 2025 season with just eight appearances. His absence was obvious in the ACC championship game loss to Duke.

Many players lack their usual explosiveness in their first season back from ACL surgery. Even at 80 percent, Robinson is a dynamic defender. If he gets close to 100 percent, he could wreak more havoc.

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