LB Long first Virginia starter to enter portal

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Three more Virginia football players entered the NCAA transfer portal on Tuesday, including the first player of significance, linebacker Langston “Lex” Long.

Joining Long were sophomore cornerback William Simpkins and junior running back Cody Brown. With those additions, nine Cavaliers have entered the portal thus far (see related story for previous announcements).

Long, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior from Woodbridge, is the first UVA starter to enter the portal. All the others were part-time starters, reserves, or didn’t play. Long started six games in 2022 and was ready to make the leap as a major contributor to John Rudzinski’s defense this past season before he was sidelined by a foot injury.

Long played in two games and had a starting assignment before suffering a season-ending foot injury that required surgery. In the two games, he totaled 8 tackles. With two years of eligibility remaining, Long figured to be a solid player for Virginia’s defense the next two seasons.

Simpkins did not play in the 2022 or 2021 seasons, but did appear in six of UVA’s last seven games in 2023, filling in for injured starters in the hobbled secondary.

Meanwhile, Brown will be looking for his fourth school. He originally signed with Tennessee, but quickly transferred after a coaching change and signed with Miami, but left there after one season and another coaching change, and signed with Virginia.

The 5-foot-10, 215-pound junior running back from Georgia was injured part of the ‘23 season and did not contribute.

Check back regularly for all the comings and goings of the transfer portal, right here at JerryRatcliffe.com.