Decatur (Ga.) Southwest 2026 defensive back Taron Essex is just starting to see his hard work pay off on the recruiting trail and that received a major jolt recently with his first Power Four offer from West Virginia.
Essex, 6-foot-4, 190-pounds, had been talking with spears coach Tre Bell for a while but was excited to hear the news that the Mountaineers were jumping into the mix with an offer.
“The offer was good. It’s boosting my confidence and my head coach had been telling me what the expectation is for the season as far as what college coaches want to see,” he said.
Bell has told Essex that the coaching staff is impressed with his size and physicality in the secondary and see him as a player that could end up at several different spots in the backend. That versatility is something that is appealing to Essex as it gives him more opportunities to see the field.
“I’m an athlete and can play anywhere on the field,” he said.
Essex hasn’t taken many visits yet just one to Georgia State but is looking into making several others including one to Morgantown to see West Virginia. That hasn’t been set yet, but he is excited to see how things continue to develop with the coaching staff in the coming weeks.
“I just want to see how things work but I will visit really soon,” he said.
Essex isn’t in a rush when it comes to his recruitment and is excited that things are starting to pick up after previously adding a scholarship offer from Western Kentucky. Still, Essex does know what he wants to eventually find in a football program when that time comes.
“I want the program to get me to the next level as much as possible,” he said.
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