Former Tennessee RB Peyton Lewis Commits To The Virginia Cavaliers

Virginia lands a major prospect out of the transfer portal, and the running back corps is beginning to come into form after Peyton Lewis committed to Virginia. He was on a visit early in the week and made the announcement official on Wednesday evening.

BREAKING: Former Tennessee running back Peyton Lewis has committed to Virginia.

The former 4-star recruit out of Salem, Virginia returns to his home state for 2026.

Lewis rushed for 629 yards and 10 TDs in two seasons with Tennessee.#ForTheFans pic.twitter.com/Z3M6UECpeO
— FOX Sports Knoxville (@FOXSportsKnox) January 7, 2026

This is a homecoming for Lewis, who played his high school football in Virginia, where he made a name for himself and became a four-star prospect and a top 200 recruit. Coming into the portal, he was rated as a three-star prospect with an 86 overall rating.

Here is a deeper look at Lewis when I wrote about him during his visit to Charlottesville.

“Areas where you will probably see him work on is yards after contact and his elusive rate. His elusive rate was just a 21 grade. Lewis also had just 186 yards after contact on his 290 rushing yards this season. The potential is there for him to be a top running back if given the chance and in the right system. For Virginia, they need another running back to pair with their recent acquisition, Jekail Middlebrook, to fill out the running back room. The Hoos will get their chance tonight and tomorrow to make an impression on Lewis and bring him back home.

He finished his two-year career at Tennessee with 629 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He had his best game against UAB, rushing for 81 yards and a touchdown. When you eye his numbers with a closer look, Lewis finished with a 76.0 offensive grade and an 80.3 rushing grade on 164 snaps. An area he was really good at was in the red zone, finishing off runs and using his physicality to finish touchdowns.”

Virginia now has a good pair of running backs in Jekail Middlebrook and Lewis that will be a dynamic tandem for the Cavaliers, especially after losing Harrison Waylee and J’Mari Taylor. Both have experience and have played at a high level on the collegiate level. When you look at both prototypes, it should bode well. Middlebrook has a great burst and quick twitch ability that allows him to get to the second level quickly. Lewis is your bruising back that you can use interchangeably to pick up tough yards on short-yardage situations and in the red zone. Virginia has hit on both backs and shouldn’t miss a beat in 2026 after landing both to complete the transfer portal cycle.

More Virginia News:

•Virginia Cavaliers Lose Another Wide Receiver to Transfer Portal

•Virginia Cavaliers Get More Good News Regarding Their Offensive Line For 2026

•Virginia Wide Receiver Announces Entrance Into Transfer Portal

•Virginia Football Reportedly in the Mix for Top Transfer Portal Quarterback