Virginia Football Freshman Most Likely to Surprise Everyone This Season

Lineback Brannon shares a lot of characteristics with a young Kam Robinson.

Jul 15, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia head coach Tony Elliott speaks to the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 219 pounds. He has elite athleticism, a high football IQ and a knack for making dynamic plays on defense.

If that sounds like Kam Robinson, you're not wrong. In this case, though, it applies to Dallas Brannon, who could be the freshman who becomes the biggest surprise among Virginia's true freshmen this fall.

That prediction partially stems from the physical skill set Brannon brings to the Cavaliers, which are reminiscent of those Robinson displayed as an immediate-impact freshman in 2023. Another factor is the opportunity Brannon has at a relatively thin position on an otherwise deep veteran team.

Brannon earned a respectable three stars as a senior at Independence High School in Charlotte, N.C., but he didn't exactly overwhelm the recruiting analysts. According to On3.com, he was the No. 122-rated linebacker in the nation and the 44th-best prospect in his own state.

He received 31 scholarship offers and took visits to Miami, Tennessee, South Carolina and Duke, as well as Virginia. He chose the Cavaliers despite On3's assessment that he had a 1.1% chance of landing in Charlottesville.

As the Cavaliers open preseason camp on Wednesday, though, there's a glaring need for depth at the two linebacker positions. Presumed starters Robinson and Maddox Marcellus are both coming off injuries, and a third senior, Landon Danley, is the only other player at the position with significant college experience. The Cavaliers did not sign any linebackers in the NCAA transfer portal during the offseason.

That should give Brannon and fellow freshman Derek Uran (rated the No. 63 linebacker in the Class of 2026) plenty of chances to impress coaches during preseason workouts. Those two could become Virginia's starting linebacking duo in 2027. And Brannon is nearly 15 pounds heavier than Uran.

Brannon could remind coaches and fans of a young Robinson. Besides having the same lean body, he had a knack for making game-changing plays in high school.

As a senior, he made 79 solo tackles (108 overall), including 11 for loss and three sacks. He forced three fumbles, recovered two and blocked a punt. The Charlotte Touchdown Club honored him with its Defensive Player of the Year trophy, named for former Carolina Panthers All-Pro Luke Kuechly, and he was named all-conference for a third straight season.

That doesn't guarantee instant success at the college level, where the game is faster and more physical. But he has an ideal role model and mentor in Robinson, Virginia's most likely all-ACC player.

Coming off a season-ending torn ACL, Robinson hopes to play in the season opener against N.C. State on Aug. 29. But if he can't, the Cavaliers have a reasonable facsimile in Brannon.