--Before we dive into anything it's important to note that as head coach Dana Holgorsen said today this is far from a finished product. I do expect West Virginia to add several more players over the coming weeks and months either by route of graduate transfer, four-year transfer or junior college transfer with the possibility of a late high school addition. I think you're going to see the cornerback position and wide receiver spots addressed, while it wouldn't surprise me to see an offensive lineman as well. I know there was talk of a quarterback today, but I think that will have to be the right situation. Keep an eye out for additions in the coming weeks.
--Overall, West Virginia finished with the 51st ranked class in the nation with a total of 21 commitments, good for an average of 2.86 per commitment. That puts the Mountaineers at eighth place overall in the Big 12 Conference but sixth in overall star ranking per recruit. It is important to note that only three schools had fewer commitments than West Virginia.
--It's certainly not the best class in West Virginia history and it's definitely not the worst. I think that it's important to remember that one year DOES NOT make a trend one way or the other. Yes this class was ranked No. 51, but that doesn't mean it will be the way next year or is the new precedent for what to expect moving forward.
--So where does this class stand? Well on the surface it's easy to say it was "disappointing," and I understand the arguments there. It leaves a sour taste in the mouth after a productive season on the field, trust me I get it. But it's a relatively low number class with a high concentration of junior college prospects. Out of the 21 commitments, eight are from the junior college ranks. Rivals.com typically rates junior college players lower than prep prospects so that does affect the rankings somewhat but still finishing eighth in the league is not a good look after a ten-win season. But throwing Will Grier into it, which is what the scholarship situation would dictate, does make it look a lot better. I also can't stress the significance of getting the players in for spring ball.
--So what happened? Well, regardless of how some people don't want to hear it, the on-going contract situation didn't do the Mountaineers any favors in this cycle. It was a topic that was certainly used by local schools on the recruiting trail and several prospects have told me their concerns over the situation. Now it's easy to say "Well, this was resolved in December." Well, by that time the bulk of the heavy lifting in the class is done and it's too late to jump in on many prospects. Still, I do think it's an indication of potential positive things to come that the Mountaineers did close strong with some key prospects down the stretch such as Isaiah Hardy, Reggie Roberson and Lamonte McDougle. Those were all prospects at key positions and the Mountaineers landed them. That is a good close, even with not landing Danny Davis.
--No question there is some disappointment on some of the misses. The Mike Harley saga, not getting James Blackman, some of the in-state losses and several others all contributed to the ranking but it’s recruiting you can’t get them all. Still if West Virginia wants to compete for Big 12 titles in the future it has to start winning some of these tough battles because teams like Oklahoma continue to stockpile talent. The Sooners had 18, yes 18, four-star commitments. Recruiting is always going to be more difficult at West Virginia given the lack of a significant in-state recruiting base and some other challenges, but if you want to take the next step it starts with better players.
--Speaking of in-state recruiting West Virginia got the number one player in the state and two legacies. Dorian Etheridge was a real loss because West Virginia put so much time and effort there and was the first to offer. That one really stings, but no matter how you try to spin it the Mountaineers weren’t getting the three in-state lineman.
--I've seen concern over two Florida recruits as well in this class, but it truly was a situation where West Virginia turned away multiple commitments in the Sunshine State to get junior college players. I don't think this is indicative of some sort of struggle in Florida.
--So who did West Virginia get? While you can argue all day about the quality of certain prospects and who you like and who you didn’t, one thing isn’t up for debate – for the most part West Virginia addressed it’s needs. The Mountaineers had to get players to fill holes on the roster and ones that could do it immediately and they accomplished that. This group really hit key positions and that could pay dividends as early as this fall.
--Let’s look at the class position-by-position
QB: None. I understand the argument here that this was a mistake not to take a quarterback but it appeared the coaching staff was shooting high here with James Blackman and didn’t want to take an option that would likely not stick with the program past several seasons. I don’t have a problem with this approach, but they have to hit on either a transfer or taking two in the 2018 class.
RB: I don’t think people realize how good Alec Sinkfield can be eventually. This is a kid that was an all-state wide receiver and running back at his high school and is exactly the versatile option that the Mountaineers want. There is a reason the coaching staff was so excited about him and like I said about Kennedy McKoy and Martell Pettaway last year, I think you all will be pleasantly surprised by his skill set. Not sure if he will pla this fall because of the depth but he’s going to make his mark eventually. Tevin Bush is a monster and the only thing that held him back from a ton of offers is his height. He is a threat to score every time he touches the ball and West Virginia has shown over the years that those players can thrive in Morgantown. If he doesn’t earn time at wide receiver or running back this fall he could see time on special teams. West Virginia is going to continue to recruit versatility at this spot. While technically a fullback, I’ll list Maverick Wolfley here and I really think this is a great fit for him. Wolfley reminds me of a more versatile Elijah Wellman in high school but he will have to develop to become that type of factor in this offense The Mountaineers used the fullback a lot last season and will need that position to develop after Wellman leaves.
WR: Let’s get this out of the way before we get started, David Sills is going to play this fall. Already on his way to playing time when he was split between two positions when he left, Sills is now focused full-time at wide receiver and has the natural abilities to be a true difference maker. I think his ceiling is very high. Fellow junior college prospect Dominique Maiden is more of a project at this stage, but an exciting one. He is a legit 6-foot-5, but runs like he is much smaller and plays with an edge. He could see time this year because West Virginia needs a red zone presence but it wouldn’t surprise me to see him redshirt if they can. I think Reggie Roberson is going to play in some capacity this fall and I really believe this kid has a chance to be very good. An excellent route runner, with great concentration, Roberson could fill several roles and is a threat on special teams as well.
OL: Kelby Wickline is going to play at least in the rotation for the simple fact that he is already enrolled in school and doesn’t have a redshirt year being a three for three prospect. That means he is going to sort out where he can fit in, which could be any of the five spots, and hit the ground running. Wickline was the glue at this position to bring this group together because his versatility can bridge the gap where the Mountaineers need it. Isaiah Hardy is a massive prospect and is every bit of his listed 6-foot-7, 340-pounds. He is going to have to get into school and be ready to work, but he wasn’t recruited to sit around. Hardy could redshirt if his development is slow but he likely is going to be depended on to at least create depth. Tyler Thurmond isn’t going to play this year and might take a year or two more to really season at this level. He is an excellent run blocker but will need time to develop in the pass blocking department. Still, he fits that mold of the big athletic tackles that the Mountaineers have had success with.
DL: Love this part of the class. One thing I can say about all of these guys is that each of them have great motors and chase the ball. That is hard to teach out of big guys and the willingness is there which you love. Jalen Harvey is the prototypical nose guard that is going to occupy blockers up front. I really think he is a very good player and a great scheme fit here for West Virginia. Rose is another that is exciting because of his motor but he is going to play on the edge. I’ll be tracking these two during the spring but speaking with the coaches it’s safe to say they are expecting both to play this fall. I like the versatility of Darius Stills, but think he’s going to need a year or two to really put himself in position to be a contributor. When it comes to Lamonte McDougle, though nothing would surprise me this fall. He is as disruptive of a nose guard as I’ve seen West Virginia recruit and plays with an excellent first step and athleticism to go with his strength. He is already pushing 300-pounds so size won’t be an issue there.
LB: Only one in the class, but it might be one of my favorite signees in the class. Quondarius Qualls is a long, rangy edge rusher that is going to give the Mountaineers a presence getting after the quarterback while displaying the athleticism to drop back and cover. Watching his tape, he is a very aggressive player but manages to play under control and not lose an edge. He’s going to play this year as long as he develops as expected and could find a role as a situational rusher at first.
S: West Virginia had SIX, yes SIX, safeties in this class. One thing that stands out about each and every one of them is the fact that while they are slotted for certain positions entering the program any of them could play any of the three spots. I LOVE the game of Kenny Robinson and think that when it’s all said and done he is going to be one of the top prospects in this class when you look back on it. Long and rangy, I’ve seen Robinson in person multiple times and he is an athletic freak. He could play wide receiver and excel, but getting him on the defensive side is a coup. Derrek Pitts is a great scheme fit here and could end up at SPUR before it’s all said and done even though he will start at bandit. Eugene Brown is a big-time hitter and watching his tape it’s hard not to think of Karl Joseph. He delivers and does it often. He’s the type of player that West Virginia has exceled with over the years. Exree Loe is a cornerback in high school but is built like a safety and that’s where he’ll start. He will need to develop but has a great skill set to work with. Collin Smith and Ricky Johns were both under the radar so to speak but I believe by the time it’s said and done these two will make significant impacts at West Virginia. Both are great fits here for the Mountaineers and if they continue to grow could even see time at other spots. Not sure how much any of this group will play this year given the returning players but each of them are going to get a shot. Pitts has a leg up being there in the spring.
CB: This is the one position that I felt West Virginia didn’t address as much as you’d like to see and that’s probably why you’re seeing so much action with graduate transfers and junior college payers at this spot. I do like the fact that Hakeem Bailey is already in school and will have three years of eligibility and he looks to be a skilled cover corner that can make plays on the football. He is a physical presence as well, which is what the Mountaineers have sought after. Given his eligibility situation he will play this year, I’m just not sure how much until I watch spring ball.
--Potential early impact players: Tevin Bush, David Sills, Reggie Roberson, Kelby Wickline, Jalen Harvey, Ezekiel Rose, Lamonte McDougle, Derrek Pitts, Hakeem Bailey
My offensive pick (other than David Sills): Reggie Roberson
My defensive pick: Kenny Robinson
--I will eventually give this class a grade after they complete their eligibility in five seasons, but as of today I think I’d assign this class a C. It isn’t spectacular, but did hit on key spots and there are some real difference makers in this group.
--Overall, West Virginia finished with the 51st ranked class in the nation with a total of 21 commitments, good for an average of 2.86 per commitment. That puts the Mountaineers at eighth place overall in the Big 12 Conference but sixth in overall star ranking per recruit. It is important to note that only three schools had fewer commitments than West Virginia.
--It's certainly not the best class in West Virginia history and it's definitely not the worst. I think that it's important to remember that one year DOES NOT make a trend one way or the other. Yes this class was ranked No. 51, but that doesn't mean it will be the way next year or is the new precedent for what to expect moving forward.
--So where does this class stand? Well on the surface it's easy to say it was "disappointing," and I understand the arguments there. It leaves a sour taste in the mouth after a productive season on the field, trust me I get it. But it's a relatively low number class with a high concentration of junior college prospects. Out of the 21 commitments, eight are from the junior college ranks. Rivals.com typically rates junior college players lower than prep prospects so that does affect the rankings somewhat but still finishing eighth in the league is not a good look after a ten-win season. But throwing Will Grier into it, which is what the scholarship situation would dictate, does make it look a lot better. I also can't stress the significance of getting the players in for spring ball.
--So what happened? Well, regardless of how some people don't want to hear it, the on-going contract situation didn't do the Mountaineers any favors in this cycle. It was a topic that was certainly used by local schools on the recruiting trail and several prospects have told me their concerns over the situation. Now it's easy to say "Well, this was resolved in December." Well, by that time the bulk of the heavy lifting in the class is done and it's too late to jump in on many prospects. Still, I do think it's an indication of potential positive things to come that the Mountaineers did close strong with some key prospects down the stretch such as Isaiah Hardy, Reggie Roberson and Lamonte McDougle. Those were all prospects at key positions and the Mountaineers landed them. That is a good close, even with not landing Danny Davis.
--No question there is some disappointment on some of the misses. The Mike Harley saga, not getting James Blackman, some of the in-state losses and several others all contributed to the ranking but it’s recruiting you can’t get them all. Still if West Virginia wants to compete for Big 12 titles in the future it has to start winning some of these tough battles because teams like Oklahoma continue to stockpile talent. The Sooners had 18, yes 18, four-star commitments. Recruiting is always going to be more difficult at West Virginia given the lack of a significant in-state recruiting base and some other challenges, but if you want to take the next step it starts with better players.
--Speaking of in-state recruiting West Virginia got the number one player in the state and two legacies. Dorian Etheridge was a real loss because West Virginia put so much time and effort there and was the first to offer. That one really stings, but no matter how you try to spin it the Mountaineers weren’t getting the three in-state lineman.
--I've seen concern over two Florida recruits as well in this class, but it truly was a situation where West Virginia turned away multiple commitments in the Sunshine State to get junior college players. I don't think this is indicative of some sort of struggle in Florida.
--So who did West Virginia get? While you can argue all day about the quality of certain prospects and who you like and who you didn’t, one thing isn’t up for debate – for the most part West Virginia addressed it’s needs. The Mountaineers had to get players to fill holes on the roster and ones that could do it immediately and they accomplished that. This group really hit key positions and that could pay dividends as early as this fall.
--Let’s look at the class position-by-position
QB: None. I understand the argument here that this was a mistake not to take a quarterback but it appeared the coaching staff was shooting high here with James Blackman and didn’t want to take an option that would likely not stick with the program past several seasons. I don’t have a problem with this approach, but they have to hit on either a transfer or taking two in the 2018 class.
RB: I don’t think people realize how good Alec Sinkfield can be eventually. This is a kid that was an all-state wide receiver and running back at his high school and is exactly the versatile option that the Mountaineers want. There is a reason the coaching staff was so excited about him and like I said about Kennedy McKoy and Martell Pettaway last year, I think you all will be pleasantly surprised by his skill set. Not sure if he will pla this fall because of the depth but he’s going to make his mark eventually. Tevin Bush is a monster and the only thing that held him back from a ton of offers is his height. He is a threat to score every time he touches the ball and West Virginia has shown over the years that those players can thrive in Morgantown. If he doesn’t earn time at wide receiver or running back this fall he could see time on special teams. West Virginia is going to continue to recruit versatility at this spot. While technically a fullback, I’ll list Maverick Wolfley here and I really think this is a great fit for him. Wolfley reminds me of a more versatile Elijah Wellman in high school but he will have to develop to become that type of factor in this offense The Mountaineers used the fullback a lot last season and will need that position to develop after Wellman leaves.
WR: Let’s get this out of the way before we get started, David Sills is going to play this fall. Already on his way to playing time when he was split between two positions when he left, Sills is now focused full-time at wide receiver and has the natural abilities to be a true difference maker. I think his ceiling is very high. Fellow junior college prospect Dominique Maiden is more of a project at this stage, but an exciting one. He is a legit 6-foot-5, but runs like he is much smaller and plays with an edge. He could see time this year because West Virginia needs a red zone presence but it wouldn’t surprise me to see him redshirt if they can. I think Reggie Roberson is going to play in some capacity this fall and I really believe this kid has a chance to be very good. An excellent route runner, with great concentration, Roberson could fill several roles and is a threat on special teams as well.
OL: Kelby Wickline is going to play at least in the rotation for the simple fact that he is already enrolled in school and doesn’t have a redshirt year being a three for three prospect. That means he is going to sort out where he can fit in, which could be any of the five spots, and hit the ground running. Wickline was the glue at this position to bring this group together because his versatility can bridge the gap where the Mountaineers need it. Isaiah Hardy is a massive prospect and is every bit of his listed 6-foot-7, 340-pounds. He is going to have to get into school and be ready to work, but he wasn’t recruited to sit around. Hardy could redshirt if his development is slow but he likely is going to be depended on to at least create depth. Tyler Thurmond isn’t going to play this year and might take a year or two more to really season at this level. He is an excellent run blocker but will need time to develop in the pass blocking department. Still, he fits that mold of the big athletic tackles that the Mountaineers have had success with.
DL: Love this part of the class. One thing I can say about all of these guys is that each of them have great motors and chase the ball. That is hard to teach out of big guys and the willingness is there which you love. Jalen Harvey is the prototypical nose guard that is going to occupy blockers up front. I really think he is a very good player and a great scheme fit here for West Virginia. Rose is another that is exciting because of his motor but he is going to play on the edge. I’ll be tracking these two during the spring but speaking with the coaches it’s safe to say they are expecting both to play this fall. I like the versatility of Darius Stills, but think he’s going to need a year or two to really put himself in position to be a contributor. When it comes to Lamonte McDougle, though nothing would surprise me this fall. He is as disruptive of a nose guard as I’ve seen West Virginia recruit and plays with an excellent first step and athleticism to go with his strength. He is already pushing 300-pounds so size won’t be an issue there.
LB: Only one in the class, but it might be one of my favorite signees in the class. Quondarius Qualls is a long, rangy edge rusher that is going to give the Mountaineers a presence getting after the quarterback while displaying the athleticism to drop back and cover. Watching his tape, he is a very aggressive player but manages to play under control and not lose an edge. He’s going to play this year as long as he develops as expected and could find a role as a situational rusher at first.
S: West Virginia had SIX, yes SIX, safeties in this class. One thing that stands out about each and every one of them is the fact that while they are slotted for certain positions entering the program any of them could play any of the three spots. I LOVE the game of Kenny Robinson and think that when it’s all said and done he is going to be one of the top prospects in this class when you look back on it. Long and rangy, I’ve seen Robinson in person multiple times and he is an athletic freak. He could play wide receiver and excel, but getting him on the defensive side is a coup. Derrek Pitts is a great scheme fit here and could end up at SPUR before it’s all said and done even though he will start at bandit. Eugene Brown is a big-time hitter and watching his tape it’s hard not to think of Karl Joseph. He delivers and does it often. He’s the type of player that West Virginia has exceled with over the years. Exree Loe is a cornerback in high school but is built like a safety and that’s where he’ll start. He will need to develop but has a great skill set to work with. Collin Smith and Ricky Johns were both under the radar so to speak but I believe by the time it’s said and done these two will make significant impacts at West Virginia. Both are great fits here for the Mountaineers and if they continue to grow could even see time at other spots. Not sure how much any of this group will play this year given the returning players but each of them are going to get a shot. Pitts has a leg up being there in the spring.
CB: This is the one position that I felt West Virginia didn’t address as much as you’d like to see and that’s probably why you’re seeing so much action with graduate transfers and junior college payers at this spot. I do like the fact that Hakeem Bailey is already in school and will have three years of eligibility and he looks to be a skilled cover corner that can make plays on the football. He is a physical presence as well, which is what the Mountaineers have sought after. Given his eligibility situation he will play this year, I’m just not sure how much until I watch spring ball.
--Potential early impact players: Tevin Bush, David Sills, Reggie Roberson, Kelby Wickline, Jalen Harvey, Ezekiel Rose, Lamonte McDougle, Derrek Pitts, Hakeem Bailey
My offensive pick (other than David Sills): Reggie Roberson
My defensive pick: Kenny Robinson
--I will eventually give this class a grade after they complete their eligibility in five seasons, but as of today I think I’d assign this class a C. It isn’t spectacular, but did hit on key spots and there are some real difference makers in this group.
