WVU Release WVU announces five mid-year signees

[Keenan Cummings]

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (December 14, 2016) –West Virginia University football coach Dana Holgorsen has announced the signing of five student-athletes to a national letter of intent and athletic grant-in-aid for the spring 2017 semester.


Hakeem Bailey, CB, 6-1, 190, Atlanta, Ga./Iowa Western CC

• Played for coach Scott Strohmeier at Iowa Western Community College
• Team finished with a 6-6 record in 2016
• Recorded 40 total tackles, including 27 solo stops and 1.5 tackles for loss in 2016
• Also had a team-leading five interceptions and nine pass breakups
• NJCAA All-Region 11 First Team (2016)
• All-Iowa Community College Athletic Conference First Team (2016)
• Redshirted as a freshman in 2015
• Three-star recruit by Rivals
• Also offered by Cincinnati
• Originally signed with Marshall out of high school
• Previously played for coach Tommy Macon at Pebblebrook High
• Recorded four interceptions and two forced fumbles as a senior (2014)
• Also scored one touchdown on special teams and three touchdowns on offense

Jalen Harvey, DL, 6-2, 325, Birmingham, Ala./Northwest Mississippi CC

• Played for coach Benjy Parker at Northwest Mississippi Community College
• Helped team to a 9-3 record in 2016 and an appearance in the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl
• Finished the season with 27 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and one blocked kick in 12 games
• Helped Northwest to its first junior college national championship since 1992 and an 11-1 record in 2015
• Played in 12 games, recording 40 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries and two blocked kicks
• All-Mississippi Associations of Community & Junior Colleges Second Team (2016)
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals, Scout and ESPN
• Originally signed with Syracuse out of high school and redshirted during the 2014 season
• Played for coach Jerry Hood at Clay-Chalkville High, helping team to a 10-2 finish in 2013
• Recorded 61 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks as a senior
• As a junior, collected 32 total tackles and 3.5 sacks
• Earned Class 6A All-State honors and was named to the 2013 All-Birmingham North/East Team
• Earned selections to the 2013 Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game and the Birmingham News All-Metro Team

Quondarius Qualls, LB, 6-2, 225, Farmerville, La./Northwest Mississippi CC

• Played for coach Benjy Parker at Northwest Mississippi Community College
• Helped team to a 9-3 record in 2016 and an appearance in the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl
• Finished the season with 55 tackles, 9.5 sacks, one interception and three pass breakups while leading the team with 16.5 tackles for loss and 20 quarterback hurries
• Helped Northwest to its first junior college national championship since 1992 and an 11-1 record in 2015
• Played in 12 games, leading the team in tackles for loss (16.5), sacks (10), quarterback hurries (13) and ranking third in tackles (67)
• All-Mississippi Associations of Community & Junior Colleges Second Team (2016)
• Four-star recruit by Scout
• Three-star recruit by Rivals and ESPN
• No. 5 junior college outside linebacker according to 247sports
• No. 6 junior college outside linebacker according to ESPN
• No. 27 junior college player according to Scout
• 2016 Super Sophomore by Sporting News
• Played for head coach Joe Spatafora at Union Parish High
• Helped the Farmers to an 11-2 record and a quarterfinal appearance in the Class 3A state playoffs in 2014
• Collected 84 total tackles, seven tackles for loss and three sacks as a senior
• Was part of the 2013 state championship team and was an all-state selection that season

Ezekiel Rose, DL, 6-3, 270, Clarksdale, Miss./East Mississippi CC

• Played for coach Buddy Stephens at East Mississippi Community College
• Helped team to a combined 19-2 record during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, a 2016 MACJC Championship and a win in the 2016 Mississippi Bowl
• Finished sophomore (2016) season with 35 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in 10 games
• Played in eight games as a freshman (2015), making nine tackles with two pass breakups
• Played for coach Henry Johnson at Clarksdale High
• Made 51 tackles with 11 tackles for loss, five sacks and nine quarterback hurries as a senior
• Collected 17 tackles and one sack as a junior

Kelby Wickline, OL, 6-5, 280, Stillwater, Okla./Jones County JC

• Played one season for coach Steve Buckley at Jones County Junior College, helping the team to a 6-3 record
• Paved the way for the offense to average 238.6 yards per game on the ground, including 326 yards per game in the final three contests
• NJCAA All-Region 23 First Team (2016)
• All-Mississippi Associations of Community & Junior Colleges First Team (2016)
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals and Scout
• No. 8 junior college offensive tackle according to 247sports
• Also offered by Arizona State, Arkansas, Cal, Iowa State, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma State and TCU
• Redshirted as a freshman at UT-San Antonio (2015)
• Previously played for coach Tucker Barnard at Stillwater High
• Allowed just one sack during his career
• As a senior, Stillwater averaged almost 200 yards per game rushing, 5.4 yards per carry and more than 350 yards of total offense
• Class 6A East All-Star (2014)
• All-District 6A-1 (2014)
• Father, Joe, is the offensive coordinator/tight ends-fullbacks coach at West Virginia