West Virginia continuing to think outside the box in European recruiting
West Virginia is slowly but surely building a pipeline to Europe on the football field.
It might sound odd on the surface, but the Mountaineers are making the most of their ability to evaluate and pluck talent on the football field from the international ranks.
It’s a brilliant concept on the surface as it allows West Virginia to go outside the box and acquire some very talented football players in a market that isn’t nearly as saturated as the one here in the states.
Last year the program signed Jairo Faverus, a cornerback from Amsterdam, while Victor Wikstrom, a tight end from Sweeden, and Edward Vesterinen, a defensive end from Finland are committed to the program and set to enroll before the start of the 2021 season.
It isn’t by accident according to PPI Recruits Founder Brandon Collier.
The PPI service is meant to open doors for European born college football prospects in order to play football in the United States. The group has become known for their camp tours spanning the country, with both Faverus and Wikstrom competing in the one-day camp in Morgantown last summer.
Vesterinen did not compete in the event but came to the attention of the West Virginia coaches after they were able to view his film and things only snowballed from there. The defensive end was able to build a strong relationship with the coaches and research the program, but also was able to consult with some of his fellow European prospects to get an idea about what the school had to offer.
“What led him to West Virginia is the fact they got two other Europeans and there was a lot of familiarity with those guys,” said Collier, who coached all three players.
The group works with the European prospects and each of them will arrive at West Virginia more seasoned and with a better understanding of the game than some that came before. The Mountaineers weren’t involved for a particularly long period of time, but enough that he was able to get a complete picture view of the program and an understanding on how he could fit into it.
That led to his commitment, one that Collier believes could be just another in a series of them as the West Virginia football program continues to show an open-mind toward securing European talent.
“I’m thankful that coach Brown is open-minded. He has to be a little unique in his recruitment and they trust me judgement on the kids and I’m thankful we have that strong bond,” he said.
PPI has sent prospects all over the country with more and more colleges getting involved in the developing market but the Mountaineers are ahead of some schools on that front.
Collier believes that each of the three prospects heading to Morgantown has a chance to make an early impact and really make their presence known at their respective positions.
“These guys will make a difference in Morgantown,” he said.
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