WVSports.com continues with our popular feature: The 3-2-1. We'll break down three things we learned that week, two questions we have, and give one prediction.
Here is the next installment of the 3-2-1, looking at the West Virginia football program, the latest on basketball, and what’s happening in recruiting.
3 things I learned:
1–More roster additions for football. West Virginia has remained highly active in the transfer portal filling needs and that continued to be the case this past week. The program added eight more players to the roster to bring the grand total to 22 overall since the conclusion of spring football in Morgantown.
SMU running back transfer Jaylan Knighton kicked off the week giving the football program an experienced option that has spent five seasons at the college level between his time the Mustangs and Miami.
The former four-star prospect was limited to just 43 yards on 12 carries and had 4 catches for 42 yards in a season shortened to just three games in 2024 due to injury but rushed for 745 yards and 7 touchdowns, an average of 5.5 per carry and also made 13 catches for 89 yards and a score the previous year.
The Florida native started his career at Miami and appeared in 27 games and rushed for 1,193 yards and 10 touchdowns during that time. Knighton has one season of eligibility remaining in his college career and gives a veteran presence in the backfield.
Jacksonville State wide receiver Jordan McCants spent three years with the Gamecocks under Rich Rodriguez before entering the transfer portal. After a redshirt season, McCants played in 12 games with one catch for 28 yards. Last season, McCants made his biggest impact with 15 catches for 146 yards for the Gamecocks. He has experience in the scheme and two years of eligibility remaining in his career.
Offensive lineman Carson Lee only remained with Mississippi State for a few months prior to re-entering the transfer portal but immediately became one of the most sought-after interior options along the offensive line.
Prior to his stint at Mississippi State, Lee was at Eastern Michigan where he made starts at center, right guard and left guard for the Eagles. He started 10 games in 2024 with starts at all three interior spots and six more at center during the 2023 season. Lee started his career at Colorado and has one year left. The Colorado native brings over 1,100 snaps played to the West Virginia offensive line.
Akron defensive back Darrian Lewis has spent all four years of his career with the Zips where he has appeared in 36 total games and recorded 205 tackles, 17 passes defended, 10.5 tackles for loss and 2 interceptions. The Ohio native is coming off a season where he recorded 74 tackles, 7 passes defended and an interception.
He entered the transfer portal in April and committed to West Virginia following a series of official visits. Lewis is a versatile defensive back that has spent time at various positions including slot cornerback. He has one year left.
UNLV linebacker John Lewis transferred to Rebels in the winter after four seasons at Mississippi State where he played a total of 365 snaps across 40 games. Over the course of his career Lewis recorded 44 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and one pass breakup and played a number of different linebacker spots during that time.
Lewis entered the transfer portal April 21 after previously entering the database in December when he committed to UNLV. Lewis is set to join the West Virginia football program with one season remaining and is an experienced linebacker.
Ferris State running back Kannon Katzer walked on to Washington State and did not appear in a game after a redshirt year before having six carries for 54 yards the following season. The Washington native spent a season at Citrus College where he rushed for 975 yards and 16 touchdowns.
He then transferred to Ferris State where he put together a massive campaign with 1,128 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 8.8 yards per carry. Entered the transfer portal in February and committed to West Virginia after an official visit April 30. Katzer has two years of eligibility remaining.
Austin Peay offensive lineman Donovan Haslam received a scholarship offer from West Virginia April 28 after he entered the transfer portal April 16. That led to an official visit to Morgantown May 2 and his eventual commitment to the football program.
Haslam, 6-foot-4, 332-pounds, played 622 snaps last season and started a total of nine games at left tackle which was his most extensive playing time of his career. He played in two games at left guard the year before and spent time at both tackle spots across seven games in 2022.
Haslam has two years of eligibility remaining in his college career.
Slippery Rock wide receiver Logan Ramper entered the transfer portal April 30 and that quickly led to an official visit to Morgantown May 2 and his subsequent commitment.
The Pennsylvania product spent three years with the Slippery Rock football program where he appeared in 28 contests and he recorded 74 catches, 1,165 yards and 14 touchdowns. This past season Ramper caught 42 passes for 748 yards and 8 touchdowns. Ramper, 6-foot-4, 215-pounds, has one season of eligibility remaining.
Tennessee offensive lineman Ayden Bussell committed to West Virginia following an official visit to campus giving the program a high-upside option up front. Bussell redshirted in his first year with the Volunteers but then saw action in three games this past season where he performed well.
Bussell, 6-foot-5, 315-pounds, has three years of eligibility remaining and put together a strong spring prior to entering the transfer portal. The Tennessee native has the ability to play multiple positions on the offensive line.
West Florida cornerback Ty Crutcher spent one season with the Argonauts where he recorded 13 tackles, 4 pass breakups and an interception across 10 games. He also was productive at Dodge City C.C. where he had 19 tackles and 2 interceptions.
The Alabama native could play either traditional cornerback or in the slot and has at least one year remaining in his college career although it could be more.
The Mountaineers also added two prospects from the junior college ranks in Dodge City (Kan.) 2025 safety Kaleb Gray and Garden City C.C. (Kan.) defensive lineman Elijah Simmons.
Gray received a scholarship offer from the Mountaineers April 29 and wasted little time in making his college choice by committing to the Big 12 Conference program after an official visit to campus.
The Texas native selected West Virginia over scholarship offers from South Alabama, Ball State, UTEP, Florida International, New Mexico, Utah State, Western Michigan, Middle Tennessee State, Florida Atlantic, Texas San Antonio and Eastern Michigan, among others. Gray had 32 tackles and 3 forced fumbles during his redshirt freshman campaign at Dodge City and has three years remaining.
Simmons, 6-foot-2, 280-pounds, is coming off a season where he recorded 21 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and a sack for the Broncbusters.
Simmons is a Charlotte native and picked West Virginia over offers from North Texas, Southern Mississippi, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan and Sam Houston State, among others.
Simmons is set to graduate in May and started his career at Kent State where he spent a season before he entered the transfer portal and signed with Garden City. He has two years of eligibility remaining in his career.
2–More change is coming. West Virginia already has added 22 players to the roster and is well over the expected 105 roster limit but the coaching staff keeps hosting official visitors and targeting remaining roster holes.
At this stage the train doesn't seem anywhere close to slowing down and it will be highly interesting to see how it all works in the end. The Mountaineers coaching staff has preached how critical evaluation and competition has been since they arrived in Morgantown and we've been able to see that play out in real time.
