Virginia Football Transfer Tracker: TE Joshua Rawlings Reportedly Staying At Virginia

Two transfers definitely will not be returning to Charlottesville, but another player has reportedly withdrawn from the transfer portal. Let’s start with the good news in this latest edition of “Virginia Football Transfer Tracker.”

Update: Virginia TE Joshua Rawlings has officially withdrawn his name from the transfer portal @Cavs_Corner https://t.co/yBf4hWMtoF

— NCAA Transfer Portal (@RivalsPortal) December 24, 2021

Joshua Rawlings, a 6’5″, 265-pound tight end, is completing his redshirt freshman season for the Cavaliers. The Pittsburgh (PA) native enrolled on Grounds in January of 2020 but did not play in the 2020 season because of injury. He has made only six appearances in 2021, playing a limited role on offense. With Jelani Woods declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft, though, Rawlings could be in store for a breakthrough 2022 campaign. His versatility is valuable too. It wouldn’t be a stretch to see Rawlings, a promising two-way prospect in high school, take the Richard Burney route and move from tight end to defensive line, but for now tight end is his position and where he projects next season.

Rawlings, Grant Misch (rising senior), Sackett Wood Jr. (rising junior), Jack Witmer (rising redshirt freshman) and Karson Gay (true freshman) are the projected scholarship tight ends for Tony Elliott’s first season as UVA head coach.

Rawlings is the second Virginia player to withdraw from the transfer portal this offseason, joining redshirt freshman defensive end Olasunkonmi Agunloye.

Meanwhile, Bronco Mendenhall confirmed on Wednesday (December 22) that neither quarterback Jacob Rodriguez nor defensive lineman Jordan Redmond will be returning to UVA. Mendenhall indicated they had chosen other schools but did not offer specifics. Redmond is a redshirt junior who played a reserve role at nose tackle in his Virginia career. Rodriguez, a Texas native, was recruited as a quarterback but played the “football player” role this past season as a true freshman. He enrolled on Grounds in the spring semester of 2021.

Listed below are the Virginia players who have reportedly entered the transfer portal as of Friday, December 24. Keep in mind that Bronco Mendenhall said players who enter the portal can still practice with the team and play in the bowl game if they choose. In fact, seven of the scholarship players still in the portal are on the projected depth chart for the Fenway Bowl.

UVA Scholarship Players In The Portal (Note: Those with * are seniors with extra eligibility because of COVID.)

OFFENSE

– Ira Armstead, QB, Redshirt Freshman – Transferring to Eastern Illinois

– Jacob Rodriguez, QB, True Freshman – Will not return to Virginia

– Jaylon Baker, WR/DB, Redshirt Junior

– Jesiah Davis, WR, True Freshman

– Ugo Obasi, WR, Junior

– Joshua Rawlings, TE, Redshirt Freshman – Has reportedly withdrawn from the transfer portal, will stay at UVA

– Kariem Al Soufi, OG, Redshirt Sophomore

– Joe Bissinger, OG, Redshirt Junior

– Bobby Haskins, OL, Senior*
12/9 Update: According to 247 Sports, Haskins has scheduled a visit to Southern Cal.

12/24 Update: Haskins had surgery on an undisclosed injury and will not play in the Fenway Bowl.

– Olusegun Oluwatimi, C, Senior*
12/13 Update: Oluwatimi plans to either return to UVA or attend another college next season. He will not enter the 2022 NFL Draft. He told reporters he has taken a recruiting visit to Michigan since the regular season ended.

– Ryan Swoboda, OT, Senior*

DEFENSE

– Aaron Faumui, DL, Junior

– Nusi Malani, DL, Sophomore

– Olasunkonmi Ogunloye, DL, Redshirt Freshman – Has withdrawn from the portal, intends to stay at UVA.

– Jordan Redmond, DL, Redshirt Junior – Will not return to Virginia.

– Noah Taylor, LB, Senior*

– Tenyeh Dixon, DB, Redshirt Freshman

– Joseph White, DB, Redshirt Junior

Players Transferring To UVA

– Devin Chandler, WR, Redshirt Freshman, University of Wisconsin. Chandler announced his transfer the day Bronco Mendenhall resigned. UVA announced on Wednesday, December 15, that he has signed and plans to enroll in January of 2022.