The last couple of days were big wins for UVA Football coach Tony Elliott, who picked up a starting quarterback and a quarterback of the future from the transfer portal.
Today, we learn that as the portal giveth, the portal can also taketh away.
Malachi Fields is a huge loss for Elliott, and a surprise, just looking from the outside, considering the pickups of the two QBs, Chandler Morris and Danny Kaelin.
ICYMI
- UVA Football: Would you believe, another QB? Chandler Morris commits to Virginia
- UVA Football: ‘Hoos land former Nebraska QB Danny Kaelin from the portal
- UVA Football: With QBs in house, focus turns to other position groups
- UVA Football: Transfer QB Anthony Colandrea set to visit Ole Miss
Fields, a 6’4”, 220-pound redshirt junior and Charlottesville native, led Virginia with 55 catches, 94 targets, 808 yards and five receiving TDs in 2024.
This, after a 2023 in which he had 58 catches on 100 targets for 811 yards and five TDs.
This one surprises me, more so that he’s leaving via the portal, and not by getting into the NFL Draft pool.
Fields is a big receiver who I could see making the transition to pass-catching tight end at the next level, and maybe he’ll have to – the knock on him is that he’s average in the speed department.
His productivity in the 2024 season waned in the second half of the season – Fields had just 18 catches on 35 targets for 267 yards in the final six games of the season, as defenses keyed on him with press coverage, locking up his average speed and making it difficult for him to get open.
On3 lists Fields as a four-star portal recruit, with a 91.00 rating.
Fields will be able to entertain some serious high-profile offers, obviously.
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Chris Graham
