Just a day after landing Tennessee defensive back Christian Charles, the Virginia Cavaliers football team continues to bolster its secondary with a commitment from cornerback Emmanuel Karnley. The former Miami and Arizona cornerback was the highest-ranked player left in the transfer portal, according to 247sports.
The 6-foot-3 Karnley will join the Wahoos’ roster as a redshirt sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining. He transferred to Miami by way of Arizona during the winter — choosing the Hurricanes over Ole Miss and Michigan.
After redshirting his freshman season in 2023, Karnley registered 16 tackles and five pass deflections last year. Karnley played 313 snaps at boundary corner for the Wildcats, according to Pro Football Focus — he finished the season with a 53.5 grade.
Karnley will provide more length to an already rangey secondary, which has two 6-foot-2 cornerbacks: Dre Walker and Jam Jackson, and incoming 6-foot-4 Cincinnati transfer Jordan Robinson. Karnely visited the ‘Hoos during the weekend and picked Virginia over Auburn, who he previously visited.
Head coach Tony Elliot might have a type at cornerback and Karnley seems to fit that mold. Karnley’s commitment now brings the ‘Hoos spring portal commitments to nine as Karnley is the third defensive back. Virginia has sufficiently added to a secondary that was a real weakness of the roster before the spring portal opened up. Evidently, the Cavaliers have been able to continue using the monetary support they’ve picked up this offseason.
