Virginia Cavaliers Post-Transfer Portal 2026 Review: Offensive Line

Who are the new offensive linemen playing with the Virginia Cavaliers this year?

Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott and Virginia Cavaliers offensive lineman Drake Metcalf | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Heading into this offseason, it wasn't clear how the Virginia Cavaliers were going to navigate the transfer portal. Head coach Tony Elliott knew there would be a substantial amount of work ahead of him, but early on, there were concerns that he wasn't taking advantage of the portal quickly enough.

He watched multiple of his players fly off his roster and enter the portal right off the bat, but he appeared to drag his feet a bit when it came to replenishing those positions. But a while after other programs had claimed top names, Elliott took a plunge and started pulling players out of the portal

His offensive unit faced a lot of losses this offseason, but Elliott was able to start filling those gaps. Now that we've looked at his quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end rooms, let's assess his redefined offensive line.

UVA's Offensive Line Post-Portal

Virginia Cavaliers offensive lineman Drake Metcalf and offensive lineman Grant Ellinger | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Cavaliers were fortunate to retain four of their veteran offensive lineman: McKale Boley, Drake Metcalf, Noah Josey, and Monroe Mills. In addition to this returning squad, Elliott brought on two new transfers, both of whom are expected to provide great depth to his program.

Transferring from the USC Trojans is Alex Payne, a 6'5", 305-pound freshman who is originally from Gainesville, Ga. His size alone is enough to intimidate opponents, but he also brings young energy to the field and skills that are just waiting to be developed.

Elliott also welcomed 6'5", 313-pound junior Ryan Brubaker from the South Carolina Gamecocks. He marked the second offensive lineman acquired by the Cavaliers from the portal this year.

At first glance, it looks like Virginia had another successful run in the portal, just as it did last year, but time will be the true indicator of how well Elliott prioritized UVA's needs. Along with portal additions, he has been able to recruit a few names that will be entering as freshmen.

Between returning veterans, experienced transfers and young talent coming in, Virginia's offensive line is looking solid. Considering who they were able to retain, Elliott didn't feel much pressure to bolster this squad too much.

Despite his offense needing the most attention in recent months after losing so many valuable players, Elliott has done a fine job at filling the gaps through the portal once again. This is certainly shaping u to be an imposing team ahead of their 2026 campaign.