UVA football nabs Tennessee transfer DB Christian Charles

Tony Elliott and the Virginia Cavaliers have been aggressive from the get go in the spring transfer portal window, now adding yet another experienced piece to the 2025 roster at arguably the biggest position of need this portal cycle — defensive back.

After hosting him on a visit last week, the ‘Hoos made a big splash, landing Tennessee defensive back Christian Charles on Monday evening per Wahoos247.

Hailing from Gainesville, Georgia, Charles heads to Charlottesville after three seasons for the Vols where he appeared in 23 games from 2021-2024 while compiling 71 tackles, a pass breakup, as well as a blocked punt versus fellow ACC foe Pittsburgh in 2021.

How the ‘Hoos decide to use him will be intriguing – whether it be at safety, where UVA has older, more experienced guys like Antonio Clary and fellow transfer Devin Neal (both projected to fill the massive void left by Jonas Sanker) or at cornerback, where Charles played the majority of his snaps as an underclassman.

Charles was a fixture in the secondary for Tennessee in 2022, playing over 370 snaps at the wide corner spot per Pro Football Focus, where he saw plenty of action, registering three multi-tackle games against ranked opponents in the SEC. In 2023, he was sidelined for the majority of the season with an Achilles injury. Then, in 2024, Charles made a move to safety due to depth issues for the Vols. This past season, he appeared in ten games, compiling 28 tackles.

He has the skills to slot in at either of the safety positions and could also work in as yet another option at the nickel spot. Similar to Clary, Charles took a heavy number of snaps inside the box as season ago, aiding as a run stopper against heavy fronts in the SEC.

After a busy weekend that saw the ‘Hoos land three transfers on Saturday alone, the addition of Charles brings the transfer total up to eight this spring, as Coach Elliott and the rest of the staff have hit the portal hard to continue to improve the 2025 roster.