Virginia Football Position Overview: Analyzing UVA’s Defensive Backs for 2024

The group is led by veteran All-ACC safety Jonas Sanker.

Virginia safety Jonas Sanker will anchor the Cavaliers in the secondary in 2024. / Virginia Athletics

Room for improvement. Virginia ranked 11th in the ACC in passing defense last season, giving up 2,697 yards and 19 passing touchdowns while only recording eight interceptions in 2023. This group, who welcomes multiple transfers and returns a chunk of players, will look to build on their meager 2023 performance. 

Beginning with the safeties, 2023 First-Team All-ACC safety Jonas Sanker returns for his final season in Charlottesville. In 2024, expect Sanker to serve as not just the leader of the Virginia secondary, but rather the entire Virginia defense. In 2023, Sanker led the Cavaliers in total tackles (107), pass breakups (11), and forced fumbles (3). Alongside Sanker at strong safety will be sixth-year Antonio Clary, who returns after missing the entire 2023 season with injuries.

In our final depth chart projection, we have sophomore Caleb Hardy slotting in as the number two guy behind Sanker after recording 14 total tackles and an interception in 2023, while graduate student Elijah Gaines could back up Clary at the strong safety position. 

Shifting to the cornerbacks, Eastern Michigan transfer Kempton Shine, who was a standout during fall camp, slots into the left cornerback position. Shine left Eastern Michigan with 27 pass deflections, the second most in program history. 

Read more about Kempton Shine here: Virginia CB Kempton Shine Impresses in First Fall Camp as a Cavalier

The UVA coaching staff indicated that the cornerback position battle was the most competitive and closest of any position group during fall camp. In addition to Shine, fellow transfers Kendren Smith and Jam Jackson as well as rising sophomore Dre Walker round out the group of four competing for the starting cornerback jobs.

Walker appeared in nine games as a true freshman, starting three, and recorded six passes defended and an interception. A Penn transfer, Kendren Smith played four seasons for the Quakers, logging 138 tackles, 24 passes defended, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, and two interceptions and twice earning an All-Ivy League selection. Jam Jackson comes to Virginia after two seasons at Robert Morris, where he was tabbed an FCS Freshman All-American by Phil Steele and was named the Big South-OVC Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year.

We have Kempton Shine and Dre Walker slotted as UVA's expected starters, but expect all four players to play significant snaps in the secondary this season.

Read our final depth chart projections for Virginia here: Virginia Football Projected Depth Chart 4.0: Final Projections Before Gameday

With fall camp concluded, the Virginia secondary now turns its focus to the season opener against Richmond, where they will face either Kyle Wickersham or Camden Coleman at quarterback, with the Spiders hosting a quarterback battle of their own during their fall camp.

More Virginia Football News

2024 Virginia Football Preview: A Make-or-Break Year for Tony Elliott

Virginia Football Projected Depth Chart 4.0: Final Projections Before Gameday

Anthony Colandrea Announced as UVA Football’s Starting Quarterback

Virginia Football: Ten Cavaliers Who Raised Their Stock in Fall Camp

Virginia CB Kempton Shine Impresses in First Fall Camp as a Cavalier