We’ve been writing lately about how UVA Football has continuing roster needs in the defensive secondary.
Good news: two new transfer portal pickups will give us some help there.
The first guy that I’ll spotlight is Emmanuel Karnley, a big (6’3”, 184) cornerback who spent two years, one as a redshirt, at Arizona, and spent one semester at Miami before hitting the portal after spring practice at The U.
Karnley was a three-star prep prospect, but got an extra star added to his profile after a solid redshirt freshman season in 2024, with the numbers that stand out to me being, 22 receptions allowed on 43 targets, with five pass breakups, on his 201 pass-coverage snaps.
Pairing the 6’3” Karnley with 6’4” Cincinnati transfer Jordan Robinson gives Tony Elliott two grown-ass men on the corners.
ICYMI
- UVA Football: Tennessee transfer addresses need in defensive secondary
- UVA Football: ‘Hoos land 6’4″ Cincinnati corner Jordan Robinson off the portal
The depth at corner comes in the form of pre-spring transfer pickup Ja’son Prevard (Morgan State) and in-house guy Dre Walker.
Still going to need some help there, just in terms of depth.
The second pickup, for the purposes of this report, is Da’Marcus Crosby, a safety from New Mexico State who also played a year at Sam Houston State at the FCS level.
Crosby, at 6’2”, 193, is big on the run-defense side of things, with 49 tackles on run plays in 2024, and good in pass coverage, allowing 14 receptions on 21 targets, with one INT and two pass breakups.
Crosby will compete for snaps at safety with another new transfer pickup, Christian Charles from Tennessee, along with Devin Neal, who transferred in from Louisville ahead of spring practice, seventh-year in-house guy Antonio Clary, and younger in-house guys Caleb Hardy and Devin Minter.
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Chris Graham
