NCAAF News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Newsletter

Power Rankings

Virginia Football: Who Has the Edge at Right Tackle After Latest Injury?

Originally posted on Virginia Cavaliers on SI
By Aidan Baller | Last updated Aug 12, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The right tackle position was initially a sure-fire position of strength after the Hoos secured Louisville transfer Monroe Mills back in January. Mills arrived in Charlottesville having played 2,335 snaps over the course of his college football career and only allowed four total sacks. The addition of Mills was bound to play a massive role in fixing a Virginia offensive line that allowed 47 sacks in 2024, second-worst in the ACC. Yet, before Mills could even take the field at Scott Stadium, he suffered a torn ACL this spring, ending his 2025 season before it could even start.

In response, the Hoos were aggressive in the spring transfer portal, adding Arkansas State transfer Makilan Thomas and Kentucky/New Mexico transfer Wallace Unamba. Of the two, Thomas, a Second-Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection in 2023, was quickly assumed to be the projected starter at the start of fall camp. Then, days into fall camp, Thomas was sidelined due to a broken foot, set to keep him off the field for the next few months, leaving Virginia again with a question at right tackle.

Immediately after the injury, it appeared that sophomore Ben York would assume the starting duties as he was seen taking reps with the first team, but this past weekend at the fall scrimmage and on Monday at practice, it was Unamba taking the snaps at right tackle, creating the question of who will start at right tackle?

Grass really is greener at Scott ️#GoHoos ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/Kau0gR1wlB
— Virginia Football (@UVAFootball) August 9, 2025

The case for Unamba is that he is definitely the more experienced of the two. Last year at New Mexico, Unamba started in 10 games and did not allow a sack. Unamba also received a Pro Football Focus grade of 63.1. Wallace stands at 6’6 335 pounds, giving the Cavaliers impressive size on the offensive line.

Moving to York, who stands at 6’5, 305 pounds, the sophomore from Burke, Virginia, appeared in three games last season, including the final two against SMU and Virginia Tech.

Of the two, Unamba, on paper, is the starter based on experience, but it is still up in the air with the edge for Unamba.

If Unamba is the starter, he would join returners McKale Boley (left tackle) and Noah Josey (left guard), along with transfers Brady Wilson (center) and Tyshawn Wyatt (right guard). This unit, which features a ton of turnover, does have upside for a better year compared to the last few.

The returns of Boley and Josey should give this unit structure as the two will look to take larger steps in 2025. At center, the UAB transfer Wilson allowed only two sacks on 485 pass-blocking snaps and received an 81.6 pass-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus in 2023, and is the best possible replacement for Brian Stevens, who anchored the Virginia offensive line. Moving to the right side, Wyatt, who comes over from JMU, provides tremendous size at 6’4 308 pounds, and has a ton of starting experience with the Dukes.

We will keep you updated on this position battle as the Cavaliers season opener approaches.

This article first appeared on Virginia Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: