Countdown to Camp: Finding the starters at CB is vital for UVa

With fall practice just a few weeks away, our annual Countdown to Camp series rolls on today with a look at UVa's cornerbacks, a position group which will need to replace a pair of impressive starters from last year's squad.

You can check out our previous feature on the RBs here.

UVa’s play at CB underscored the defense’s improvement from 2021 to 2022.

Expectations were relatively low for the defense heading into the 2022 season. The Wahoos struggled to stop nearly everyone in 2021, and particularly struggled at times with giving up big plays in the passing game. Enter John Rudzinski and his new defense, and what a difference a year made.

According to ProFootball Focus, UVa went from the 57th best coverage in the nation in 2021 to 17th last fall. The Cavaliers did that without going out and adding transfer portal replacements, either; two key defensive backs from 2021 graduated, and the players Rudzinski used to replace them were already on the team.

The 2022 coverage grades ranked ahead of teams like Ohio State, Penn State, Clemson and Utah, defenses loaded with top-end talent. Virginia’s two starting corners ranked 11th and 21st nationally in coverage grades for the season, allowing 49 receptions on 100 targets with neither giving up a touchdown. Opponents threw for just 2,044 yards in 10 games, with 10 touchdowns and five INTs.

Virginia’s cornerback play highlighted how far the defense came as a whole and their pass coverage, particularly deep down the field, helped the defense avoid allowing big plays, thereby keeping them in most games. Now, UVa’s second-year defensive staff will have an opportunity to show that the improvement is here to stay and not a one-year flash in the pan.

The Cavaliers have to replace their two starters.

To do that, the defense is going to have to find at least two new playmakers on the edge. Both starters, Anthony Johnson and Fentrell Cypress, left after last season. Johnson began his professional career and was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent. Cypress, meanwhile, was the team’s biggest surprise last fall, going from a role player to one of the nation’s top DBs. As a result, he entered the transfer portal with his degree in hand, and offers from nearly all of the top D1 programs. He ultimately ended up at Florida State, after being named one of the top transfers in the portal this offseason.

The task of replacing them will be a tall one. UVa has added a number of players to the CB room from the transfer portal, but the staff will also be counting on some of the younger DBs in the group to make a leap and become regular contributors. Senior Elijah Gaines has waited his turn behind a bunch of veterans through his Cavalier career, and has a chance to go from role player and special teams contributor to a starter this season. The same can be said for William Simpkins, who made a number of flash plays in the Spring Game after not appearing in any games in two years at Virginia.

The group will be a test of how effective UVa has been in transfer portal scouting and recruiting.

Virginia needed cornerbacks given its attrition and certainly did its best to add them this offseason. The Hoos added three cornerbacks from the transfer portal that could all factor in this season. They brought in Tayvonn Kyle from Iowa State in the winter and Kyle made it to Charlottesville to participate in spring practice. During the spring, Tony Elliott made it clear that he wanted to go out and get at least one more cornerback, and ultimately ended up bringing in a pair of them: Sam Westfall, who started 11 games for SMU last season, and Malcolm Greene, a Virginia native who was a role player on Clemson’s defense over 29 career games.

All three of UVa’s additions have played a significant amount of football at the D1 level, so it’s fair to assume the transition may not be as difficult as it is for other transfers with less experience.

UVa doesn’t need all three of the transfers to hit for the D to be successful, but the Wahoos probably need at least one to play a significant role on this year’s team. UVa, like many programs, has seen significant additions from the portal since Elliott took over in December 2021. And this season, cornerback, along with offensive line (and quarterback, given it’s importance) will be the positions that could see the biggest boost from transfer additions.

We’ll soon find out if the Hoos found fits for their defense that can be plugged in and play right away.

Anthony Johnson: Johnson ended up being a really nice portal addition under Bronco Mendenhall and was a key piece on last year’s defense. He recorded five interceptions over the past two seasons, and led the team with a pair in 2022.

Fentrell Cypress: UVa’s other departing starter, Cypress could have gone just about anywhere he wanted as a transfer and ended up staying in the ACC. His was the most significant portal loss of the offseason.

Jaylon Baker: Forced into action in 2019 when injuries plagued the CB room, he never really found his footing at UVa thereafter. Baker played in five games last year, and announced his retirement from football following the season.

Darrius Bratton: Although he was listed as a safety last season, Bratton spent most of his career at corner and was a veteran presence in the position group. He is currently playing with the CFL’s Edmonton Elks alongside former Cavalier Elliott Brown.

Elijah Gaines: The aforementioned Gaines hasn’t had a lot of chances to play on the outside yet but has factored in on special teams and occasionally on defense. He was named the team’s most-improved special teamer last fall and appeared in eight games.

William Simpkins: We mentioned earlier that Simpkins has yet to touch the field in a game for Virginia but he did have a couple of pass break-ups in April’s Spring Game. He has the frame at 6-foot-1, 182 pounds to become a tough matchup for opposing receivers.

Dave Herard: Like Simpkins, Herard is another unproven player who has been with the program for a few years now. The South Florida native did appear in eight games last year and factored in on special teams, but perhaps he can work his way into the rotation at cornerback as well, given the opportunities available.

Micah Gaffney: The Alabama native played on special teams last fall but we haven’t had the chance to see what he can do at cornerback just yet. He was a recruit that picked up quite a bit of interest on the trail, and like the three players mentioned ahead of him, will have his opportunities to earn playing time during fall camp.

Coen King: King is still listed at safety on the roster, his natural position that he’s played throughout his college career. But in the spring he was cross-training at corner, which makes sense given the much more pressing need at that position. King is one of the defense’s more experienced players, and it will be interesting to see if he fits in on the edge, or if he goes back to safety given UVa made two portal additions post spring and lost safety Cam Kelly to the portal.

Tayvonn Kyle: One of UVa’s spring 2023 transfer additions, Kyle played five seasons at ISU. He started 12 games in his career, most of which came in 2019 and 2020; as a redshirt freshman, he was named Honorable Mention All-Big 12. In his Cyclone career, Kyle made 76 tackles with one INT.

Malcolm Greene: One of two transfer additions from Clemson, along with running back Kobe Pace, Greene is back home in the Commonwealth and should have a chance to see the field this fall. He played quite a bit at Clemson but was never a consistent starter. Green saw action in seven games last season with two starts, finishing the season with eight tackles. His younger brother, Miles Greene, is a freshman defensive lineman with the Hoos this year.

Sam Westfall: Westfall began his career at Mesa Community College before playing three years at SMU. He started 11 games last season, his first year as a starter after playing sparingly over his first two seasons with the Mustangs. Westfall recorded 15 tackles and three pass break-ups last fall.

Keandre Walker: One of two cornerbacks added via the 2023 recruiting class, Walker was a state champion in North Carolina at East Lincoln High. He played both ways and was named to the 2022 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. Walker has a big frame at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, and could certainly develop into a very solid cornerback during his time in Charlottesville.

Trent Baker-Booker: The other first-year added to the cornerback room, Baker-Booker comes to Charlottesville from Indianapolis, where he played at the same high school as former UVa basketball great Kyle Guy. Baker-Booker put up impressive defensive stats as a senior in high school, recording eight PBUs and three interceptions.