Which Virginia Cavaliers could be top-10 in the ACC?

It may be just one game, but Virginia confirmed a lot of internal expectations and analyses by throttling a well-regarded NC State team. Meanwhile, other ACC teams looked unprepared to start the season.

The Wolfpack got blasted in Charlottesville, Georgia Tech lost at home to Colorado, and the defenses of Stanford and Florida State looked shaky at best. North Carolina’s offense was also subpar. Wake Forest did not cover the spread at home against Akron.

There is a real possibility that the Cavaliers receive several All-ACC nominations. At the minimum, several of Virginia’s playmakers established themselves as top-10 ACC players at their respective positions to start the season. That list is lengthy.

Offense

Projections:

QB Beau Pribula (QB7)
LT McKale Boley (LT1)
LG Noah Josey (LG1)
C Drake Metcalf (C3)
RG Makilan Thomas (RG3)
RT Monroe Mills (RT1)
TE Dakota Twitty (TE10)

The strength of this unit is an elite offensive line that should be among the nation’s very best. However, there are surprisingly ample spots up for grabs at quarterback and tight end — allowing for Pribula and Twitty to be regarded as elite.

Jekail Middlebrook is incredibly talented, but because Virginia has such a crowded group of running backs, it will be difficult for him to produce top-tier individual statistics. The ACC is flush with incredible talent at the RB position.

Defense

Projections:

DE Fisher Camac (DE4)
DT Jason Hammond (DT4)
NT Anthony Britton (NT 8)
LB Kam Robinson (LB1)
LB Maddox Marcellus (LB9)
CB Jacobie Henderson (CB8)
CB Omillio Agard (CB10)
S Brandyn Hillman (S1)
S Ethan Minter (S6)

The second-best scoring defense in the ACC (2025) looks just strong (if not stronger) than it did last season. Nearly every starter should be regarded as elite and one of the conference’s best. Even if that does not result in All-ACC honors, it can be assumed that every starter will garner at least a handful of votes.

Proven stars such as Robinson do not come as a surprise. Henderson and Agard, however, might be the most pleasant developments for Virginia this season. They looked the part of a lockdown cornerback duo.

Special Teams

Projections

K Will Bettridge (K7)
P Daniel Sparks (P3)

Bettridge should be in scoring range frequently this season. He contributed 10 points in Virginia’s 34-8 win over NC State. As for Sparks, he has launched some deep punts over the years and has established himself as one of the ACC’s top booters.

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