Justin Townsend holds the DE · Depth spot in Virginia Cavaliers’s edge room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

Justin Townsend is a defensive end from Randolph, New Jersey, who transfers to Virginia after four years at Columbia. The 6'2", 265-pound defender compiled 23.0 career sacks at Columbia, the program's all-time record. In 2025, his final season with the Lions, Townsend served as team captain and recorded 32 tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks while earning Second Team All-Ivy League honors and Phil Steele First Team All-Ivy League selection. He started all 10 games and was named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week on November 24 following a performance against Cornell featuring 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Townsend also earned Academic All-Star recognition from the FCS ADA.

Columbiathrough 2025

Virginia2026 — present