Virginia’s defensive line lost a huge pass-rushing presence when end Eli Harold and hybrid linebacker Max Valles declared for the NFL Draft after last season. With Mike Moore and Donte Wilkins also sitting out practice due to injury, the defensive front looks a lot different this spring. Those four players, after all, combined for 40 starts last season.

The one stalwart still in place this spring is David Dean, who also logged 12 starts last season. Dean is the team’s second-leading returning tackler, trailing only Quin Blanding at safety. Blanding led the team with 123 tackles last season, while Dean was seventh on the team with 40 stops. Dean proved to be a handful at defensive tackle where he also logged 8 tackles for loss, 3 pass break-ups, 1 sack, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble. He returned that INT for a touchdown at Virginia Tech.

Dean’s ability in the middle made it difficult for offensive lines to slow down all the pieces up front as Valles (9), Harold (7), and Henry Coley (8) combined for 24 sacks.

“His role is heightened even more when you lose two guys like Max [Valles] and Eli [Harold],” London said. “David has the kind of inside push, vertical push, that will allow pressure up the middle. Our job now is to make sure we find some guys on the outside that can complement a guy that has that kind of pass rush ability.”

...