Virginia Football Position Overview: Analyzing UVA’s Defensive Line in 2024

Taking a look at the men in the trenches on the defensive side of the ball for the Cavaliers.

Kam Butler's return after missing the final eight games of the 2023 season will be pivotal for the UVA defensive line. / Virginia Athletics

11 sacks last season over 12 games, good for last in the ACC, and an unacceptable total that cannot happen again if the Cavaliers want to have any success this season. The Virginia defense also allowed 2,214 yards and 27 touchdowns, both third-most in the ACC, another statistic that needs to improve in 2024. The only positive from these statistics is that the Virginia defensive line, for the most part, can only improve this season under defensive tackles coach Kevin Downing and defensive ends coach Chris Slade. 

So, who is set to lead this group on the field? 

The two names that lead this group are defensive end Kam Butler and nose tackle Jahmeer Carter. Butler, despite playing only four games in 2023 before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, recorded 3.5 sacks, which accounted for 31.8% of Virginia’s total sacks last year. Returning Butler will be a massive boost for the Cavaliers. Butler also recorded five tackles for a loss and a total of 23 tackles in those four starts. 

Behind Butler, Ben Smiley, who recorded two sacks last season, will serve as the backup at defensive end. 

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As for Carter, the graduate student from Baltimore, Maryland, was voted as one of the team’s five team captains at the conclusion of the 2023 season. Carter recorded 13 solo tackles and 35 total tackles last year and will look to build on that in 2024. A possible backup to Carter could be sophomore Anthony Britton, who had a strong fall camp and brings youth to this group with the majority of the defensive line nearing the end of their collegiate careers.

The biggest loss for this Virginia defensive line is defensive tackle Aaron Faumui, who was an All-ACC honorable mention in 2023 with the 2024 Cavaliers tasked with replacing 32 total tackles last season. His likely replacement, senior Michael Diatta recorded 18 tackles last season and is ready to step into the starting role. As for depth, sophomore Jason Hammond will look for meaningful snaps behind Diatta. 

“He [Michael Diatta] and Jason [Hammond] have been battling day after day. You’re starting to see Diatta play better with his hands, his pad level is improving, his stamina has improved,” said head coach Tony Elliott. “They have different skill sets, Diatta is the taller, longer, and bigger guy as Jason [Hammond] is a little bit shorter and quicker. So they have different skill sets, but they complement each other.” 

As for the bandit defensive end, Chico Bennett Jr. once again occupies that position. The graduate student from Ashburn, Virginia, is looking to recapture his 2022 form, where he led the Cavaliers with seven sacks and totaled 34 tackles (17 solo). Bennett also recorded two forced fumbles, four quarterback hurries, and 7.5 tackles for a loss in 2022. In 2023, Bennett struggled, recording zero sacks. 

If Bennett can recapture his 2022 form and be a force opposite of Kam Butler, the Virginia defensive line will feast on opposing quarterbacks. Junior Terrell Jones is an option to provide depth at that spot.

As for injuries, defensive end Mekhi Buchanan has been ruled out for the season, while senior defensive lineman Bryce Carter is out with a knee injury for an undetermined amount of time, two big losses for the Cavaliers in terms of depth on the defensive line. Despite the injuries, the Cavaliers have returned so much of their defensive line that they should be poised to improve following a 2023 season in which they struggled. The keys for this year, as mentioned earlier, are simply stopping the run and getting to the quarterback, which Virginia ranked third to last and last in 2023 amongst the ACC's defenses.

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“You need two starting defensive lines, to be honest with you,” said Elliott. “Realistically, we need four guys inside that go and who can roll because that’s what you're seeing more in college football at the defensive line spot.” 

The point made by Elliott solidifies how impactful the depth on the defensive line has the potential to be for the Cavaliers in 2024. 


“It makes it tough on an offense when you can roll in fresh guys, and then you can roll in different skill sets,” said Elliott.

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