With fall practice starting tomorrow, our annual Countdown to Camp series wraps up today with a look UVa's linebacker, a group that seems stocked with talent as the Wahoos look to replace a legend.

You can check out our previous features on the RBs, the CBs, the QBs, the DL, the WRs/TEs, the safeties, and the O-line.

UVa’s linebacker corps features an athletic group with several breakout candidates.

As we’ve explained throughout this series, Virginia’s defense returns a lot of its production from a group that exceeded its preseason expectations last year.

That’s true as well at linebacker, where the Hoos bring back a number of players who saw increased roles on last year’s defense and will be counted upon even further in 2023.

They also lose a key piece, who was one of the defense’s most-productive players not just last season but in quite some time.

Clint Sintim’s charges have several breakout candidates with the athletic profile to take their games to the next level and make a big impact this fall. James Jackson was a player that flashed under Bronco Mendenhall in limit opportunities but earned more playing time in 2022 and looked like a player that could have a breakout year. The same can be said of Stevie Bracey and Trey McDonald who didn’t see as much game action as Jackson last fall, but have drawn praise from coaches and teammates alike and have an opportunity to step into the vacant inside linebacker role. And finally there’s Kam Robinson, who may have as good a chance to play right away as any signee in the 2023 recruiting class.

UVa’s linebacker room may not be as experienced or proven as the defensive line, for example, but they have more proven commodities and potential breakout candidates than many other position groups on the team, heading into camp.

Replacing Nick Jackson’s productivity won’t be easy.

While UVa has a lot of returning production from the linebacker group, the Cavaliers will have to replace their most-productive linebacker. Nick Jackson finished his UVa degree and opted to enter the transfer portal after the season, eventually landing at Iowa after receiving offers from a slew of top programs.

Jackson led the Hoos in tackles over the past three seasons at the middle linebacker spot. In fact, his tackle totals were far-and-away the most on the team in each of those years. In 2020, he recorded 105 tackles when no other Cavalier had more than 79. In 2021, his 117 tackles were 31 more than the next-closest defender, Joey Blount. And last year, the Georgia native led the next-closest tackler, Jonas Sanker, by a whopping 41 stops. Jackson also did a better job getting after opposing quarterbacks last season, finishing second on the team with five sacks.

UVa will also have to find a way to replace Jackson’s leadership. Perhaps the most dependable player on UVa’s entire team over a three-year stretch, he was a leader to his teammates and a player that coaches could trust to have his teammates in a position to succeed.

We outlined above that UVa has a few players that could step up and fill the void left by Jackson’s departure, but it could end up being more of a committee effort than having one player account for all of that lost production.

UVa could use more pressure from their LB’s.

Jackson’s lost sack production could be significant, as he was the only linebacker on the roster with multiple sacks a year ago. Josh Ahern and James Jackson recorded one sack each, and outside of Nick Jackson’s seven, the rest of the linebackers combined for just four tackles for loss.

Some of those low totals can be explained by scheme and UVa’s defense got a lot more pressure from its front than its did in the previous scheme with more exotic blitz looks. Regardless, UVa will be looking for someone to replace Nick Jackson’s production at a minimum, but if the linebacker group can get in the backfield more often, the entire defense will be better off.

Nick Jackson: His productivity was outlined above and his departure is UVa’s loss and Iowa’s gain. Jackson was more than productive, he was also a consistent and reliable presence in the defense over the last few seasons.

Hunter Stewart: Stewart came to Virginia as a linebacker and was eventually listed both there and at defensive end. Last season, he saw a smaller role after recording 37 tackles in 2021, playing in just four games last season and recording six total tackles. Stewart was on the roster in the spring but entered the portal in May as a potential grad transfer.

Stevie Bracey: Bracey already looks the part of a Power-5 caliber middle linebacker, and he’ll have his chance to earn playing time this fall. He played in seven games, mostly on special teams but a bit on defense as well. Bracey enrolled early last year and finished his true freshman season with six tackles, five in the loss to Miami.

James Jackson: Jackson played in all 10 games and started six last year after impressing in fall camp. He had a solid sophomore campaign and was named the team’s most-improved defensive player at the team’s award banquet in December. The Roanoke native finished the season with 60 tackles, third on the team, and will have a chance for an even larger role in 2023.

Josh Ahern: Ahern was another player that thrived in a larger role last season and should be counted upon to play a large role this fall now that he’s back healthy. The NoVA native played in seven games last year, recording 26 tackles. The fifth-year senior missed the Spring Game but should be good to go for fall camp.

Trey McDonald: McDonald technically earned a redshirt year last season, playing in three games as a true freshman. But as the season wore on, he was used more and could be in line for an even bigger role this season. McDonald was one of the defensive standouts in the spring and will look to take that momentum into fall camp.

Josh McCarron: The former four-star recruit has yet to make a big impact on the field at Virginia but with some playing time available on the edge and time to develop physically, he will have a chance to earn his way onto the field this fall. McCarron played in eight games last season, mostly on special teams.

Sam Brady: Brady has quietly appeared in 14 games over three seasons at Virginia, mostly on special teams. The North Carolina native was actually listed as a safety on the 2022 roster but is listed at linebacker once again as fall camp kicks off this week.

Kam Robinson: UVa’s highest-ranked recruit in the 2022 class, Robinson signed with the Hoos after a late push from and visit to Florida State. Robinson, a rare top-10 in-state player to sign with UVa, has a chance to play right away, given his talent and athleticism.