West Virginia has added the first member of the 2024 recruiting class with a commitment from Camden (N.J.) 2024 defensive tackle Richard James.
James, 6-foot-1, 272-pounds, selected the Mountaineers over other offers from Penn State, Texas A&M, Mississippi and a number of other schools.
James is nicknamed Wink.
The Rivals.com three-star prospect had developed a strong connection with running backs coach Chad Scott and that led to his decision to announce for the program early on in the process. He also developed a strong connection with defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley and defensive line coach AJ Jackson.
"Every time I give coach Scott a call it's like a family thing," he said.
James made multiple visits to Morgantown and was highly impressed with the entire state of the program from the top-down.
“West Virginia was a way better experience then I expected. What stood out the most was the family vibe I got from everybody there,” he said. “They made a great impression.”
The Mountaineers are slotting James as a defensive tackle and he has time to develop considering he won’t sign a letter of intent until December 2023.
"They showed me. They put up the film for me and showed me what their defensive line is all about they want guys that can get up field, get off the ball really fast and make a play. Great hands and great feet and I fit that kind of player," he said. "I'm not a sit in the gap kind of defensive tackle I can move around and make plays."
James represents the first commitment in the 2024 class and is yet another talented prospect originally from the Philadelphia area to select the Mountaineers.
He now plans to help recruit his teammate James Heard, a four-star bandit prospect that plans to take an official visit to West Virginia June 3-5.
"I've been texting him every day," he said.
WVSports.com will have more with James in the near future.
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