CHARLOTTESVILLE – Virginia’s Nick Jackson is a three-time all-conference linebacker who entered the NCAA transfer portal after last season. He’s still there.
Jackson is just one of over 120 players who entered the NCAA transfer portal this offseason and have not found a new program yet going into Wednesday’s national signing day, per a source with access to the database.
Many of those, including the contingent from UVa and Virginia Tech, are backups and role players. But a few, like Jackson, were starters in 2022, while others, including Virginia Tech linebacker Keshon Artis and Virginia running back Ronnie Walker, the former Hopewell High star, and defensive back Chayce Chalmers, saw decent playing time.
Jackson was a three-time All-ACC selection who posted over 100 tackles each of the past three years.
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Walker, who transferred to Virginia from Indiana before the 2020 season, rushed for 138 yards and three touchdowns in 18 games over the past three seasons for the Cavaliers.
Chalmers played in 30 games over the past three seasons, registering 10 career tackles.
Artis recorded 36 tackles while playing in 46 games over five seasons for the Hokies.
Jackson, Walker, Chalmers and Artis did not respond to interview requests.
In all, 214 ACC football players entered the NCAA transfer portal this season, per a source. Of those, only 67 have officially matriculated at a new school. Fifteen withdrew their names.
That leaves 132 active and available in the portal. A handful of those have found new teams and their records are just in the process of being updated, but the trend is clear – most of the players who went into the portal remain there, in limbo.
Virginia had 15 football players enter the NCAA transfer portal since the season ended. Seven of them found new schools, led by quarterback Brennan Armstrong, who transferred to North Carolina State.
Wide receiver Billy Kemp IV (Highland Springs) went to Nebraska, cornerback Fentrell Cypress II went to Florida State, offensive lineman Logan Taylor went to Boston College, offensive lineman John Paul Flores went to Louisville, and linebacker Mike Green, who wasn’t with the Cavaliers for most of the 2022 season, transferred to Marshall.
Kicker Brendan Farrell is committed to South Florida, but has not yet enrolled.
One – long snapper Lee Dudley – withdrew his name and is still at UVa.
The other eight players –Jackson, Walker, Chalmers, wide receivers Nathaniel Beal and Sean Moore, offensive lineman Zachary Teter and quarterback Mark Wagner – are still active in the portal but no longer with the Virginia program.
A school spokesperson confirmed none of those players will practice with the team this spring.
Virginia Tech had 19 players enter the portal this offseason. Three didn’t enter until this month – running back Keshawn King, offensive lineman Nikolai Bujnowski and linebacker Michael Peterson.
Wide receiver Kaleb Smith went to Notre Dame, cornerback Armani Chatman went to North Carolina, defensive back D.J. Harvey went to San Jose State, defensive end Lakeem Rudolph went to Campbell, quarterback Jason Brown went to Jackson State, defensive lineman Matheus Carroll went to Kent State.
That leaves Artis, defensive linemen Desmond Mamudi and Nigel Simmons, linebacker Tre Maxwell, defensive back Tyler Matheny, wide receivers William Kakavitsas and Tink Boyd, and long snapper Vincenzo Anthony active in the portal but not enrolled anywhere else this spring.
A school spokesperson confirmed none of those players will be with the program this spring.
