Examining potential West Virginia football transfer targets
West Virginia is expected to be active in the transfer portal this off-season to fill holes given changes to the process. With the one-time transfer rule now in place as well as providing additional scholarships to backfill loses to the portal.
Given that knowledge and here is a look at just a few of those other players that could draw interest from the Mountaineers.
*=West Virginia has offered.
*
Hudson appeared in 14 games in 2023 and hauled in 36 catches for 551 yards and 10 touchdowns after arriving from Trinity Valley C.C. Hudson will have one season of eligibility remaining in his career. The Texas native was a former junior college all-American and averaged 15.3 per grab. West Virginia has offered.
The Tennessee native spent just one season with the Wildcats where he redshirted. Out of high school he was highly rated and even earned a spot on the U.S. Army All-American Bowl team. Has all four years of eligibility remaining in his career.
Denis was a three-year starter at Georgia State where he was productive putting up 121 tackles, 25 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks during that time. A total of 9 of those sacks came over the past two seasons. The Florida native entered the transfer portal in April and will have one season of eligibility left in his career.
West appeared in 39 games over his four seasons with the Golden Flashes and was productive during that time recording 110 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 7 sacks. This past season West recorded 40 tackles, 7 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. An all-MAC performer at the defensive tackle spot, the Illinois native entered the transfer portal with one season of eligibility remaining in his career.
Bowens only saw action in three games during his first year at Oregon but entered the transfer portal in the spring. The Texas native has four years left in his career and was a highly regarded high school prospect in the 2023 class.
Hunter started his career at Purdue but transferred to Ohio where he has appeared in 16 games over the past two years recording 12 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2 sacks. The Ohio native is a graduate transfer with two years left in his career.
King spent only two seasons at Grand Valley State and is coming off a highly productive 2023 campaign with 28 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks to go along with 3 forced fumbles. The Michigan native would have two seasons of eligibility remaining and is an interesting option on the defensive line.
Oklahoma linebacker Konnor Near
Near was a target of West Virginia in 2023 when he left Ferris State after some very productive time there. Near played in 30 games over two seasons there and recorded 93 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 2 sacks over that time period while earning all-conference honors in the process. Visited Morgantown during his initial recruitment, but committed to Oklahoma where he spent this past season primarily as a special teams player with 7 tackles across 12 games. Near jumped back into the transfer portal in March and the Michigan native will have one year of eligibility remaining.
*Lenoir-Rhyne cornerback C'Darius Kelley
Kelley spent four seasons playing for the Bears and during his time there made the transition from quarterback to defensive back. During his time there, Kelley started 39 games and recorded 103 tackles, 19 passes defended and an interception. The Georgia native has one year of eligibility remaining in his career at his next stop and West Virginia has jumped into the mix with a scholarship offer.
Martinez spent two seasons at UCF and in his second started all 13 games. He recorded 54 tackles and 3 interceptions and the talented cornerback proved capable of playing the position in the Big 12. Entered into the transfer portal in the spring and now will have two years left at his next destination.
Brooks spent three years at Texas where he appeared in 23 games and started 19 of those games. After redshirting, Brooks recorded 9 tackles during his freshman campaign and followed that up with 20 tackles and 3 interceptions. The Texas native will have two years of eligibility remaining in his college career.
Carter spent three seasons at Syracuse where he played in 31 games and started 28 of those during that time. The Virginia native recorded 138 career tackles and 5 interceptions and elected to commit to Ohio State where he spent one season before entering the transfer portal after spring ball. He has one year left in his career.
Ponds played in all 13 games as a freshman and made the most of those opportunities with 51 tackles, 15 passes defended and a pair of interceptions. The West Park, Florida native has three years of eligibility remaining and has entered the transfer portal looking for a fresh start at a new school.
Jones spent three seasons at Wake Forest but only two of those on the field after a redshirt season. The defensive back appeared in 22 games over the past two years and posted 37 tackles and 3 interceptions this past season. Jones is a native of Baltimore and would have two years left in his career at his next stop.
Cotman was a target of West Virginia in the 2023 recruiting class and he visited campus. The Virginia safety ended up committing to Virginia Tech but would spend only one season there where he appeared in only three games primarily on special teams. Cotman would have all four years left in his career and is a prospect that the Mountaineers are familiar with given his recent recruitment.
Minor spent three seasons at Texas Tech, one of which was where he redshirted. Transferred to Indiana where he appeared in 11 games and recorded 29 tackles and 4 passes defended. The Dallas native now has one season of eligibility remaining.
Cooper appeared in 20 games during his time at Florida State where he had seven starts across two seasons and recorded 30 tackles, 3 interceptions and 4 pass breakups. Then transferred to Colorado where he spent one season and appeared in 9 games where he had 37 tackles, 5 pass breakups and a sack. Entered the transfer portal in the spring and will have one season of eligibility remaining in his career.
Brown only spent one season with Michigan State and was limited to just 27 defensive snaps across seven games. Brown recorded three tackles during that time and entered the transfer portal in the spring looking for a fresh start. The California native would have three years of eligibility left in his career and is a long cornerback option.
Banks spent three years at Washington where one of those was a redshirt season. He recorded 22 tackles and an interception during his time with the Huskies and elected to enter the transfer portal in April in order to explore his options. The California native has two years of eligibility remaining in his career.
Mc-Cantos spent two years with the Illinois football program appearing in 11 games during that time frame. He saw action in eight games as a redshirt freshman and recorded 5 total tackles. The Miami native will have three seasons left in his career and was recruited by West Virginia out of high school.
Scott appeared in just four games as a true freshman to preserve a redshirt but then elected to enter the transfer portal. The Georgia native recorded a pair of tackles and will have all four years left at his next stop. A young but talented option.
Josephs started his career at Miami of Ohio but transferred to Tennessee State where he put together a strong season earning All-Big South-OVC second team honors. He started 11 games at safety and recorded 64 tackles, 2 interceptions and 1.5 sacks. Josephs is a native of Pittsburgh and will have one season of eligibility left.
Robinson started his career at Alabama where he spent three seasons and played sparingly with just 2 tackles and a sack. After transferring to Colorado, Robinson appeared in seven games and recorded 9 tackles and an interception. The Florida native would have one season of eligibility remaining in his career.
San Jose State cornerback Jay'Vion Cole
The California native spent his first season at Cal Poly where he played in 11 games and started 9 of those as a true freshman with 21 tackles and 4 interceptions. Then moved onto San Jose State where he recorded 38 tackles, 13 passes defended and 3 picks. Cole then reentered the transfer portal in the spring and will have two years left.
Jacksonville State cornerback Kekoura Tarnue
Tarnue spent two seasons at Rochester Community and Technical College where had 11 career interceptions and scored four defensive touchdowns during that span. Transferred to Jacksonville State for the 2023 season and he recorded 53 tackles and 3 interceptions to go along with 7 passes defended. Has one year of eligibility left.
Albany cornerback Aamir Hall
Hall started his career at Richmond before transferring to Albany and in his lone campaign there fared well with 63 tackles, 15 pass breakups and 5 interceptions. The Maryland native has one season of eligibility left in his career.
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