With summer workouts underway in the new football operations facility, fall camp and the start of the 2024 season will soon be right around the corner. And while UVa brings back a lot of key contributors from last year’s team, there is always a need for more playable depth and new faces to step up. Injuries can take a toll and eventually young players can catch up to the mental part of the game and start to become key contributors themselves, early in their respective career.
As the Wahoos prepare for a pivotal season ahead, we’re taking a look at five true freshmen that have a good chance to see the field in their first season with the program and could be the next Anthony Colandrea or Kam Robinson.
Keke Adams, DB
On Signing Day, there are usually several players that seem capable of having an impact right away, and in the 2024 class, Adams seems like one of those guys. Adams signed with Virginia after playing at Avon Old Farms in Connecticut and enrolled early. The Hartford native was named All-New England three years in a row, and chose UVa over offers from Duke, West Virginia, Syracuse and others, and was ranked the ninth-best player in the state of Connecticut.
Adams was productive as a high schooler and seems to have the physicality to transition into the college game quickly. In his NSD presser, Tony Elliott singled out Adams as someone who could contribute early in his career and the fact that he made it to Grounds for spring ball is another boost for the young defensive back.
Adams will have plenty of competition for playing time, of course, and the Virginia coaches went out of their way to add veteran transfers to the secondary room. Still, DBS are usually players that can rotate a decent amount and often contribute quite a bit on special teams, so Adams will probably be able to see the field in some capacity this fall.
Kameron Courtney, WR
A late addition to UVa’s class, Courtney is talented enough to contribute right away. A Woodbridge native, he was committed to Indiana for some time, choosing the Hoosiers over UVa, UNC, Maryland and many others. But when Indiana fired Tom Allen and replaced him with JMU’s Curt Cignetti, Courtney became available and UVa pounced. He flipped to Virginia in December and was already on Grounds in January.
Courtney could have played in the secondary or on offense, and despite adding quite a bit of depth to the receiver room, the staff slotted him there, which should be an indication of their hopes for him long term at the position. Courtney featured in UVa’s Spring Game, and hauled in one pass for six yards, but certainly looked the part. The question now is, can he carve out a meaningful role for himself with so much competition at receiver, and also, can he impact the game on special teams?
Myles Brown, LB
Unlike the first two players mentioned above, Brown was a bit of an under-the-radar find for the coaching staff in the recruiting process. He played at Ridge View in Columbia (SC), and only held offers from Army and Miami (Ohio) before getting the UVa offer and jumping on it. Brown committed to the Hoos in October and, like Courtney and Adams, enrolled early and participated in spring ball.
Though he didn’t have as much interest as some of his fellow freshmen, Brown has the athletic profile to turn into an impact player. He finished the year as an All-State selection and had 74 tackles including 16 tackles for loss with three interceptions. He used the spring to acclimate to college ball, and while a path to a starting role on the defense seems like a stretch, Brown has the athletic profile and now some more experience, to help him become a contributor on special teams, and potentially rotate into the defense if a role is available.
Ethan Minter, DB
Seen by many as a quarterback during the recruiting process, Minter has made a transition to defense and seems like a pretty safe bet to play as a first-year. Minter played at Thomas Dale in Chesterfield and was UVa’s first commit in the 2024 class, though what role he’d play at Virginia was still to be determined. Minter enrolled early and slotted in at safety, and seemingly turned some heads right away.
By the end of spring practice, he was moving up the depth chart and playing quite a bit. In April’s Spring Game, Minter recorded six tackles, the second-highest mark on either team. Like Adams, Minter will have to compete with veteran players for playing time but it seems that he’s quickly trending towards being a contributor, be it on special teams or on defense. He was a good athlete at the quarterback position, so he has big-time upside as a defender if he can fit in naturally at his new spot.
Jewett Hayes, DE
It’s all-hands-on-deck to improve UVa’s pass rush, which gives the program’s young defensive ends and edge players a chance to play right away. UVa finished the 2023 season dead last nationally in sacks created with a 11 and was near the bottom in TFL’s, as well. The hope is that some of those woes will be corrected with several veterans returning and hopefully healthy, led by Kam Butler and Chico Bennett. But the UVa defensive staff will need to find options behind them that can get after the quarterback, too.
Hayes is another early enrollee,l who came to Virginia after a successful prep career, this time at Moeller High School in Cincinnati. He comes from an athletic family and is the younger brother of NBA wing Jaxon Hayes, who is currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. His father played in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers and his mother played college basketball at Drake. A three-star prospect who chose Virginia over offers from Iowa, Kentucky, West Virginia, Illinois, hometown Cincinnati, and many others, Hayes was an all l-conference selection as a senior, and his tape shows flashes of legitimate athletic ability.
It remains to be seen whether Hayes or perhaps another young edge player sees a significant role, but he is one to watch for the future nonetheless. And, if nothing else, he has to live up to his number, No. 85, which was worn by UVa’s best pass rusher of all time and current assistant coach Chris Slade.
