UVA football made its first roster move of the spring transfer portal period, with Cincinnati cornerback joining the team on Friday, April 18. The news was initially reported by Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer of CBS Sports. Robinson, who played 25 games over the past three seasons at Kentucky and Cincinnati, recorded 18 tackles in 10 games during the 2024 season.
Jordan Robinson, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, began his college football career at the Division II level with Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina. As a true freshman in 2021, the 6’4″, 210-pound defensive back played all 10 games, recording 26 tackles, two interceptions, and six pass breakups.
Robinson’s strong performance at Livingstone helped him transfer to the Division I FBS level, joining the Southeastern Conference’s Kentucky Wildcats. After redshirting his first year, he appeared in four games in 2022. In the 2023 season, Robinson made his first career start against Tennessee and went on to play 11 games, finishing with 13 total tackles, eight solo tackles, one tackle for loss, and two pass breakups.
In 2024, Robinson transferred to Cincinnati, where he played in 10 games, registering 18 tackles, 11 solo stops, two tackles for loss, one pass breakup, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Over his Division I career, he has accumulated 31 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and three passes defended across 25 games.
Virginia’s need for cornerback depth is well-known, especially following the injury to Jam Jackson, who could miss significant time, though head coach Tony Elliott has not confirmed whether Jackson’s knee injury will require surgery. Even if Jackson is available for the 2025 season, the Cavaliers may still look to add three or four more cornerbacks from the portal.
Virginia had previously added Morgan State cornerback transfer Ja’son Prevard in the winter transfer window, but he remains the only cornerback addition thus far. Along with Jackson and Prevard, Dre Walker is the only other cornerback with substantial experience, though he missed eight games last season due to injury.
Given the current situation, Robinson’s commitment is a key step for Virginia in strengthening the cornerback position, but it’s just the beginning. Earlier this week, the Cavaliers also hosted former Fresno State cornerback Julian Neal, who transferred to Stanford this offseason but re-entered the portal after the firing of Stanford head coach Troy Taylor. Neal visited UVA on Tuesday and reportedly toured Arkansas starting Thursday.
Beyond cornerback, Virginia is also looking to address other areas of need in the spring transfer window, including running back and offensive line.
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