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UVA Football Lands Alabama DL Transfer Hunter Osborne

Matt Newton

Hunter Osborne/I
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Just before the dead recruiting period begins, Virginia has landed another big victory in the transfer portal, as Alabama defensive lineman transfer Hunter Osborne announced his commitment to UVA in a social media post on Monday morning (December 23).

A 6'4", 300-pound defensive lineman from Trussville, Alabama, Osborne was a consensus four-star recruit coming out of Hewitt-Trussville High School. The 247Sports Composite rated Osborne as the No. 19-ranked defensive lineman in the class of 2023, the No. 13 player from the state of Alabama, and the No. 130 overall recruit in the country. Osborne boasted offers from more than 50 programs, including most of the Power Five. Virginia was among those who extended offers to Osborne, who ultimately turned down offers from the likes of Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Clemson, Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Penn State to stay in his home state and play for Nick Saban at Alabama. 

Osborne redshirted his first season, as linemen often due in college football. Then came Saban's retirement and the hiring of Kalen DeBoer, and though Osborne stuck around for the 2024 season, he played very limited snaps in just four games, posting three tackles and a pass breakup. Osborne’s potential to be an impact playmaker on the defensive line is still there; he just needs some more development, and more importantly, an opportunity to play and prove himself. Virginia can certainly provide that. 

On the defensive line, Cavaliers are expected to lose veterans Chico Bennett Jr., Kam Butler, and Jahmeer Carter to exhausted eligibility, while Michael Diatta, Ben Smiley III, and Bryce Carter entered the transfer portal. There are some promising young players like Jason Hammond, Anthony Britton, and Terrell Jones set to return to Virginia in 2025, but the Cavaliers were definitely in need of some reinforcements on the defensive line. UVA has already picked up commitments from Fresno State defensive tackle transfer Jacob Holmes and Elon defensive end transfer Cazeem Moore and will now add Hunter Osborne to a now reloaded defensive line unit that could have the tools for a much improved showing in 2025.

Hunter Osborne is the sixth defensive player to transfer to Virginia this offseason, joining defensive backs Devin Neal (Louisville) and Ja'son Prevard (Morgan State), defensive tackle Jacob Holmes (Fresno State), defensive end Cazeem Moore (Elon), and linebacker Maddox Marcellus (Eastern Kentucky).

Virginia has landed 11 transfer commitments from the portal this offseason:

Keep track of all of UVA's transfer portal activity, including outgoing and incoming transfers, here: Virginia Football Transfer Portal Tracker

Stay up to date on all of the transfers who have received offers from Virginia or who have scheduled visits to UVA here: Tracking UVA Football's Offers and Visits in the Transfer Portal

More Virginia Football News

Report: Alabama WR Emmanuel Henderson Set to Visit Virginia

UVA Football Adds Talent with Purdue Transfer WR Jahmal Edrine

Report: UVA Football Hosting Alabama DL Hunter Osborne for Visit

Virginia Lands Commitment From UAB Center Transfer Brady Wilson

Potential Landing Spots for Former UVA Wide Receiver Malachi Fields

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.