By Jerry Ratcliffe

After beefing up its offensive firepower by landing two quarterbacks and a wide receiver to start the week, Virginia helped fortify its defense on Wednesday by adding two players to the Cavaliers secondary.

UVA gained commitments from an outstanding safety from Michigan in Brandyn Hillman, along with Navy cornerback Justin Ross.

Hillman comes with star power. The 6-foot, 200-pound rising senior, originally a 4-star from Churchland High School in Portsmouth, was All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2025 for the Wolverines. Viewed by Michigan as a potential captain and a future NFL Draft pick, he was described as a hard-hitting, rising star and a focal point of this past season’s defense.

The safety was a starter for Michigan and one of the most reliable and physical players on the Wolverines’ roster. He posted 545 snaps and had 49 tackles, including 7 tackles vs. Ohio State, 7 vs. Oklahoma and 7 vs. Nebraska. He earned a 75.8 PFF coverage grade and a 70.3 overall grade.

In all, Hillman played 32 games for Michigan in three seasons with 11 starts at safety. He played in 12 games as a sophomore in 2024 and appeared in nine games in 2023 as a freshman.

Meanwhile, UVA also gained a commitment from Ross, a 6-2, 185-pound corner from the U.S. Naval Academy.

Ross, originally from Gastonia, N.C., registered 32 tackles this past season, his sophomore year for the Midshipmen, including 4 PBU, 3 pressures, a half-sack and one interception. He had a PFF pass rush grade of 80.2.

Ross, a physical safety, played in 10 games in 2024, his freshman year at the Academy.