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Virginia Scheduled to Host Multiple Offensive Line Transfers for Visits

Matt Newton

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Second only to the quarterback position, the greatest area of need for the Virginia football program to address through the transfer portal this offseason is the offensive line. Of 133 FBS teams, the Cavaliers gave up the second-most sacks in the entire country; their 47 sacks allowed were second only to Florida State's 49. If UVA is going to take a step forward next season, the offensive line must be upgraded.

Virginia has been in contact with several offensive linemen in the transfer portal and two of those transfer targets have reportedly scheduled visits to UVA within the next week.

Michigan offensive tackle Tristan Bounds is planning to visit both Virginia and NC State this weekend before taking trips to Arizona and Boise State next week, as reported by On3's Pete Nakos on Tuesday.

A 6'8", 305-pound tackle, Bounds hails from Bethesda, Maryland, but played a couple of seasons of high school football at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. Bounds did not play a ton at Michigan over the last four seasons, appearing in seven total games, but the competition was stiff in the offensive line unit, as the Wolverines currently boast the most offensive linemen of any college in the NFL. Michigan made the College Football Playoff in three out of the four years Bounds was in Ann Arbor and won the National Championship in 2023.

Now, Bounds is in the portal, looking for an opportunity for to prove himself in his final year of eligibility. A former four-star prospect according to Rivals.com, Bounds was considered one of the best offensive tackles in the high school class of 2021. At the very least, Bounds could provide some much-needed depth for the Cavaliers at the tackle positions, but it's on the board that he could emerge as a starting-caliber tackle if he reaches his potential.

Virginia will also host Cal Poly offensive lineman Brady Norton on December 16th, according to a report from Rivals that indicated that Norton will take visits to Wake Forest (December 14th), Virginia (December 16th), Syracuse (December 18th), Georgia Tech (December 20th), and Kansas State (December 22nd).

Though Norton played at the FCS level, everything about his performances suggest that he's ready to take the leap not just to the FBS level, but to Power Four football as well. A 6'3", 275-pound lineman from Mission Viejo, California, Norton received a 91 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus (very good) and did not allow a single sack in 704 snaps this season. He was named a FCS Freshman All-American at the end of the year. The best part about Norton as a transfer portal prospect is that he has three years of eligibility remaining, so the team that picks him up will have ample time to develop him into an even better player at the FBS level over the next three seasons.

Virginia could return as many as three starters on its offensive line next season in McKale Boley, Blake Steen, and Noah Josey, but the Cavaliers have already lost two-time All-ACC selection Brian Stevens (graduation) as well as Ty Furnish, Ugonna Nnanna, and Charlie Patterson to the transfer portal. Virginia is going to need multiple reinforcements from the transfer portal just to provide depth, but it's even more important that at least a couple of those transfers turn out to be starting-caliber offensive linemen.

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

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10 Potential Quarterback Targets for UVA Football in Transfer Portal

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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.