Coach Tony Elliott brought in six more transfers in the past week, representing another active week in the transfer portal. Having plugged vacated positions such as quarterback and safety last week, Elliott focused on additional position groups in need of reinforcement this week. Elliott was able to acquire two defensive linemen, a linebacker, an offensive lineman and two offensive skill position players.
With sustained focus on revamping the defensive line, Elliott acquired two more linemen — senior edge rusher Cazeem Moore from Elon who was acquired Thursday and sophomore defensive tackle Hunter Osborne from Alabama who was acquired Monday.
Moore has extensive playing experience as a two-year starter who totaled six sacks last season for the Phoenix. At 6-4, 255 pounds, Moore has an ideal pass rusher’s frame, and he posted a 75.4 PFF pass rush grade in 2024. Virginia has longed for an effective pass rusher for the past few seasons, finishing second to last in the ACC in sacks in 2024 and dead last in 2023.
Unlike Moore, Osborne was not heavily featured at his previous school. Osborne redshirted in 2023 and saw game action in only four games last season. That said, there is plenty of reason to be excited about a former four-star recruit with good size and two years’ experience at a blue-blood SEC program.
Eliott’s defensive makeover extended beyond the defensive line as well, as the Cavaliers acquired junior linebacker Maddox Marcellus from Eastern Kentucky Friday. Marcellus had a productive 2024 campaign, racking up 97 tackles in 12 games. During the previous season, Virginia lacked speed at linebacker outside of sophomore Kam Robinson. Marcellus, at Eastern Kentucky, excelled flying sideline to sideline, earning an 80.8 PFF run defense grade in 2024.
Above all else though, the most pressing hole which Elliott needed to fill was at offensive line, and Elliott finally acquired a high-end starter for the offensive line Thursday. Graduate interior offensive lineman Brady Wilson, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, joins the Cavaliers after starting every game last season with the Blazers. Wilson posted an 83.7 PFF rating last season, with an impressive 86.2 pass block rating, albeit against AAC competition.
The Cavaliers also added two offensive skill position players in senior receiver Jahmal Edrine from Purdue Friday and fifth-year running back J’Mari Taylor from North Carolina Central Wednesday. At 6-3, 215 pounds, Edrine is built to play as the X receiver, an area of need with the transfer departure of senior Malachi Fields and junior JR Wilson. Edrine put up 365 receiving yards and two touchdowns for the Boilermakers last season and Edrine’s high-point goalline touchdown grab against Northwestern exemplifies the skillset he brings to the Cavaliers' offense.
Sometimes players are just too good to pass up, even when they do not fill a pressing need. That is the case Taylor. He has the best production of any of Virginia’s transfers, coming off a 2024 campaign in which he ran for 1,146 yards and 15 touchdowns and added another 271 yards and two scores through the air. He is on the smaller side at 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, but he is dynamic with the football, as proven by his 86.4 PFF grade. Taylor is an exciting addition who will help to ease junior running back Xavier Brown back into the fold as he recovers from his broken collarbone.
The Cavaliers are already much-improved, but they could acquire even more talent in the coming days as Elliott prepares for a critical 2025 season. The transfer portal will remain open until Saturday.
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