As Week 1 of the college football season nears, it’s important to know where the West Virginia football roster stands.
WVSports.com and the Rivals network have teamed up with Pro Football Focus (PFF), the go-to site for player grades and advanced analytics in both college football and the NFL.
This article is the first installment of a four-part series that looks at the Mountaineers’ top returning players based on their season grade calculated by PFF. Only players who played in five or more of the team’s games were considered for the list.
As always, you can join the discussion on the Mountaineer Message Board or, for paid subscribers, The Blue Lot.
20. Bryce Ford-Wheaton, wide receiver
PFF Grade: 60.6
Ford-Wheaton enters this season as the Mountaineers’ sixth-best wide receiver according to PFF. He finished second on the team last season in receiving yards (416) but fourth in receptions (27).
T.J. Simmons’s graduation is arguably the lone key departure for the Mountaineers at this position, so it seems likely that Ford-Wheaton is poised for a season similar to the last.
19. Sam James, wide receiver
PFF Grade: 62.0
During a redshirt sophomore season with high expectations, James was seen as a liability often times due to his struggles with dropped receptions. He still turned in a productive season, ranking second on the team in receptions (31) and finding the end zone twice.
James scored a 63.1 following his redshirt freshman season in 2019, meaning that he has regressed slightly in PFF’s eyes.
18. John Hughes, offensive line
PFF Grade: 62.8
Hughes scored among the Mountaineers’ top offensive linemen after six strong games at right tackle. However, following an injury, his season was cut short.
The addition of Virginia Tech transfer Doug Nester may throw a wrench into Hughes’s senior year plans, but if WVU’s offensive line rotations from previous years are any precursor, he’ll see his share of time on the field.
T-16. Sam Brown, wide receiver
PFF Grade: 63.3
Brown drew rave reviews from coaches and pundits alike for a strong fall camp, but seemed to disappear as the season went on. He played in seven games, totaling eight receptions for 92 yards.
Youth is on his side, however, as the 6-foot-2 Georgia native enters only his sophomore season. He ended the season on a high note, totaling three receptions for 42 yards against Army in the Liberty Bowl.
T-16. Zach Frazier, center
PFF Grade: 63.3
After a spot-start in West Virginia’s season opener against Eastern Kentucky, Frazier quickly worked his way into Mountaineers’ fans’ hearts and, more importantly, the starting five up front.
He still has room to grow, which is probably why he comes in tied for the No. 16 spot on this list. He’ll enter his sophomore season as arguably the most important returning offensive lineman.
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