West Virginia has plan to fill remaining 2024 needs
West Virginia signed 22 prospects during the early period and addressed a number of needs.
The coaching staff came into the 2024 cycle looking to fill around that many spots out of the high school ranks and have accomplished that goal.
“Most of these guys we’ve recruited for a really long time,” head coach Neal Brown said.
The Mountaineers signed one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end, one athlete, three offensive linemen, three defensive linemen, one pass rusher, two linebackers and five defensive backs all from the high school ranks.
But there are still needs that must be filled on the roster heading into next season although the focus of those efforts will come from the transfer portal.
Related: Examining potential West Virginia football transfer targets
West Virginia currently has six transfer commitments to date with Colorado State cornerback TJ Crandall, Gardner-Webb outside linebacker Ty French, Oklahoma State wide receiver Jaden Bray, Louisville safety Josh Minkins, Duquesne cornerback Ayden Garnes and Ohio State linebacker Reid Carrico. But the staff is looking to add anywhere between four to six more at various spots.
And while there could be instances where high school options are targeted, the bulk of the focus will shift directly toward filling those spots through means of the portal over the next couple of weeks.
“I’m not saying we won’t. There could be an instance we could but that’s not what I have planned right now,” Brown said.
The official visit window for transfers that plan to enroll at the midterm opens from Jan. 3-7 and the expectation is that the program will host several key targets during that span.
For now, the focus is on defensive backs, likely two, to help round out the secondary and then another edge option on defense. On the offensive side, the Mountaineers want to be careful but are looking at possibilities for the right fit on the offensive line and wide receiver.
“And a multiple-year tight end,” Brown said.
But that’s not saying high school options won’t still be on the radar as Brown expects the coaching staff to turn their attention to trying to fill out the roster with quality walk-ons from the 2024 cycle.
But when it comes to scholarships the focus is on the portal before the 2025 class takes center stage in January with coaches getting an early start on the next cycle.
----------
• Talk about it with West Virginia fans on The Blue Lot.
• SUBSCRIBE today to stay up on the latest on Mountaineer sports and recruiting.
• Get all of our WVU videos on YouTube by subscribing to the WVSports.com Channel
• Follow us on Twitter: @WVSportsDotCom, @rivalskeenan, @ZAndersonJRL
