The Cavaliers landed an important piece for their 2026 class this morning with the commitment of OT Michael Gildea
Virginia Football secured a new addition to its 2026 recruiting class this morning, as three-star offensive tackle Michael Gildea announced his commitment to head coach Tony Elliott and the Cavaliers. Gildea, who plays at the Hun School in Princeton, New Jersey, becomes the fourth overall pledge in the 2026 class and the second offensive lineman to join the group.
I’m extremely excited and blessed to announce my commitment to the University of Virginia! I want to give a huge thank you to my mom, family, friends, teammates, and coaches for all their support. Go Hoos!!@Coach_TerryHeff @Coach_TElliott @jsperos @Red_Zone75 @Tonyrazz03 pic.twitter.com/gprh8Qo22W
— Michael Gildea (@Michaelgildea77) May 15, 2025
According to the 247Sports Composite, Michael Gildea is rated as the No. 987 overall prospect in the 2026 class, the No. 77 offensive tackle nationally, and the No. 19 player in New Jersey. Gildea chose Virginia over a competitive offer list that included Boston College, Duke, North Carolina, Old Dominion, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest, among others. He is also expected to make an official visit to Charlottesville the weekend of June 19. With Gildea’s pledge, Virginia now holds the No. 62 recruiting class in the nation and ranks 14th in the ACC.
Gildea’s commitment wasn’t the only good news for head coach Tony Elliott and his staff. The Cavaliers also added Army transfer cornerback Donavon Platt from the portal. Platt totaled 15 tackles, two interceptions, and four pass breakups last season. While his Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades highlight some room for improvement—especially in tackling (28.2) and run defense (45.2)—his coverage grade (67.3) and overall experience make him a solid addition. Notably, Platt had higher tackling grades (81.9 and 69.3) in the two seasons before 2024, suggesting last year may have been an outlier.
Virginia has made a concerted effort to strengthen its secondary this offseason, landing several key defensive back transfers. One of the biggest additions is four-star transfer Emmanuel Karnley, who briefly enrolled at Miami after transferring from Arizona. Karnley brings immediate-impact potential to the Cavaliers’ secondary.
Joining him is Da’Marcus Crosby, a versatile 6’2 safety from Houston, Texas. Crosby began his career at Kilgore College, where he tallied 75 tackles, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles in his sophomore year. He then transferred to Sam Houston State for their first FBS season and thrived, earning First Team All-Conference USA honors with 55 tackles, four interceptions, and three pass breakups. His standout performance against Kennesaw State—10 tackles and a game-changing fourth-quarter interception—earned him CUSA Defensive Player of the Week.
Virginia has aggressively addressed roster needs through the transfer portal this offseason. In addition to the new faces in the secondary, the Cavaliers added standout quarterback Chandler Morris, dynamic Purdue transfer wideout Jahmal Edrine, and Alabama defensive lineman Hunter Osborne. With the spring portal window now closed, Virginia appears to have assembled one of the ACC’s top transfer classes.
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