Virginia Football Position Overview: Breaking Down UVA's Linebacker Unit

Matt Newton | Aug 28, 2024

2023 Freshman All-American Kam Robinson headlines Virginia's linebacker unit in 2024. / Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

We've talked about Virginia's defense for the 2024 season in terms of its defensive line, which needs established veterans like Kam Butler, Chico Bennett, and Jahmeer Carter to find the best versions of themselves, and in terms of its secondary, which needs some new transfers like Kempton Shine and Kendren Smith to mesh with returners like Jonas Sanker and Antonio Clary. Now, we wrap up our position previews for the 2024 UVA football team by talking about the heart of the Cavalier defensive unit, a linebacking corps that returns its two main starters in Kam Robinson and James Jackson.

One of the most highly-touted recruits in recent memory for the UVA football program, Robinson committed to Virginia over offers from Florida State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and others. He's already lived up to the hype, playing in all 12 games as a true freshman and making eight starts, including five of the last six at the "MIKE" linebacker position. Robinson finished third on the team in tackles with 71, 46 of which were unassisted, and he recorded 4.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and a sack. Deservedly, Robinson was named a Freshman All-American by several publications and he'll look to build on that strong start by taking another step forward in his sophomore season.

Playing alongside Robinson will be senior James Jackson, who has played in 32 career games and started all 12 in 2023, registering a career-high 80 tackles, second only to Jonas Sanker among Cavalier defenders. Jackson delivered seven quarterback hits and made four tackles for loss last season. He underwent a minor surgery in the offseason and missed a lot of fall camp, but Tony Elliott was confident that he would be ready to go for the opener against Richmond, as reflected by his status as the starting "WILL" linebacker on the week 1 depth chart released on Tuesday.

Virginia Football Releases Depth Chart for Season Opener vs. Richmond

While Jackson was out during fall camp, junior Trey McDonald stepped up and got first team reps for several practices and performed well according to the UVA coaching staff. In 2023, McDonald played all 12 games and recorded 12 total tackles, but he seems poised for a leap in a season where he should get plenty of chances on the field. McDonald is currently listed as the backup to Kam Robinson.

The other backup is Cincinnati transfer Dorian Jones, who has appeared in 47 games over the course of his career, which began at Louisville. Last season, Jones recorded 56 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and one interception for the Bearcats. With Stevie Bracey likely out for the season, Jones will be leaned on for significant snaps at linebacker and on special teams.

Another player that should be mentioned here is sophomore Landon Danley, one of our picks for Cavaliers who raised their stock in fall camp. Danley was recruited as a safety out of high school but has since transitioned to linebacker, where he has excelled and earned high praise from the Virginia coaching staff.

We'll also discuss the SPUR position in the Virginia defense here, a versatile spot between linebacker and safety. Akron transfer Corey Thomas is the perfect prototype for that position, given his size and strength at 6'4", 221 pounds and his range and athleticism to cover ground quickly. In his career at Akron, Thomas played in 40 games and registered 105 career tackles, six pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, one sack, and one interception. The UVA coaching staff has been raving about him ever since he arrived on Grounds.

Also competing at the SPUR spot is former Clemson transfer Malcolm Greene, who played at corner most of the 2023 season but moved around to various spots in the Cavalier secondary during fall camp. Greene could slot in at three or four different positions if necessary, but for now, he'll contend with Thomas for snaps at SPUR.

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