If Tony Elliott and the Virginia football team are going to have sustained success again this season, some of the team's redshirt freshmen and sophomores are going to need to take the next step in their development. Let's dive right into the five youngsters who could be important pieces to the puzzle in 2026.So. WR Dillon Newton-ShortAfter impressing in limited duty as a true freshmen last season, the sophomore pass-catcher is most likely set to open the 2026 season as a top 5-6 wide receiver for Des Kitchings. He had a great spring and he has a big opportunity to make some plays this year for a Virginia receiving core that looks to be pretty bleak on paper.He's fairly versatile as well, so that bodes nicely for his outlook this season in an offense that values positional flexibility in the wide receiver room. "DNS" could ultimately be expected to raise the floor of the receiver room this fall.So. DB Corey CostnerCostner was a pleasant surprise in 2025, becoming one of the team's better and most position-flexible defensive backs. He played a little bit of everything for DC John Rudzinski as a true freshman, lining up at field corner, in the slot, and at safety.It's going to be interesting to see where the team decides to play him this season, as he's most likely going to be starting somewhere on the defense in 2026. So. S Montino WilliamsWilliams did an admirable job on special teams and as a rotational safety during his first year on the team last fall. He also did great this spring, replacing Ethan Minter on the starting defensive unit while he was recovering from an injury.Though Williams probably won't be a starter heading into week one, he'll undoubtedly be counted on as a key rotational or sub-package piece in Virginia's defense this year.So. DT Sichan JohnSichan John flew under the radar as a true freshman behind Jahmeer Carter, Hunter Osborne, Jason Hammond, and Anthony Britton at defensive tackle last year. Though it's easy to see why, as those guys are very good, John brings something to this year's room that they don't have much of now that Carter is gone: A dominant anchor against the run.This is where John could make his mark in 2026, seeing that he's built like a Mack truck and moves around like one as well. Anthony Britton is pretty big too, but he doesn't have the type of lower-body strength that Sichan John has.This defensive staff is most likely planning on utilizing John pretty often in tandem with Hammond, Britton, and Darrion Henry-Young this year, so he has to be ready to produce.RS-Fr. OG/C Grayson ReidHeading into the offseason, new OL Coach Joey Orck was searching for someone who could provide depth at both offensive guard spots alongside players like Cole Surber and Grant Ellinger. It's safe to say that Virginia's starting five is pretty good, if not elite, compared to the rest of the ACC, but the depth is still questionable.Grayson Reid has been looking very good this offseason at both offensive guard spots and has even taken reps at center. If Cole Surber and/or Grant Ellinger don't take a big step forward before the 2026 season gets here, Reid is probably going to solidify himself as one of the top depth-level/rotational guards on the team. Having playable depth along the offensive line is going to be crucial for UVA's offense this season, and Reid could be a key player on the interior for the Cavaliers.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow