By Jerry Ratcliffe
Virginia added a 5-star kicker, had another player enter the transfer portal and four players declare for the NFL Draft on Monday.
The Cavaliers didn’t have to go far to find a future kicker in St. Anne’s-Belfield’s Tim Hamann, who had also been in conversations with Maryland, JMU, Rutgers, Buffalo and William & Mary. UVA offered Hamann last week.
He’s rated the No. 10 kicker in the country by Kohl’s, a national kicking and punting authority, and a 5-star, first-team, all-stater.
Hamann has posted some impressive numbers, including a STAB school-record, 53-yard field goal against Fork Union Military this past season, plus two other field goals of 45 and 45 yards. He was 35 for 35 on PATs and 60 of his 65 kickoffs were for touchbacks. Hamann was coached by former UVA stars Heath Miller and Chris Luzar.
Meanwhile, a sixth Cavalier announced the intention to enter the NCAA transfer portal when it opens on Jan. 2.
Senior linebacker Trey McDonald, a reserve middle linebacker, said he’ll enter the portal with a year of eligibility remaining. McDonald, a 6-foot-4, 235-pound backer, participated in 41 career games for UVA, including five starts. During that three-year span, he accumulated 74 tackles, 2.54 TFLs, one sack, and an interception.
McDonald joins these Cavaliers in the portal: junior wide receiver Suderian Harrison, junior cornerback Dre Walker, junior defensive end Mekhi Buchanan, junior cornerback Ja’son Prevard, and redshirt senior offensive lineman Tyshawn Wyatt.
Prevard, a second-team, All-ACC selection, is the only starter among the group entering the portal.
A quartet of Wahoos announced their plans to enter the 2026 NFL Draft: running back J’Mari Taylor; nose tackle Jahmeer Carter; tight end Sage Ennis; and senior defensive end Cazeem Moore.
All four were key contributors to Virginia’s program-record 11 wins this season.
Taylor, a first-team All-ACC running back, led the league in rushing and became the first Cavalier to rush for more than 1,000 yards since Jordan Ellis in 2018.
Ennis finished sixth on the team in receptions, hauling in 23 passes for 214 yards (9.3 per catch) for 5 touchdowns.
Carter, who played in all 14 games, was Mr. Reliable on the defensive line and was almost always double-teamed. Still, he posted 30 tackles, one tackle-for-loss and a quarterback hurry.
Moore, who transferred to UVA from Elon, played in all 14 games and recorded 18 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 sacks, 4 QB hurries and 1 PBU.
