The West Virginia Mountaineers continued their positive momentum on the recruiting trail with a commitment from Orlando (Fla.) Evans 2026 cornerback Emari Peterson.
Peterson, 6-foot-2, 190-pounds, selected the Mountaineers over other scholarship offers from Texas A&M, LSU, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, South Florida, Liberty, East Carolina, Toledo, Southern Mississippi, Charlotte, Massachusetts, Florida Atlantic and Appalachian State, among others.
West Virginia had been in the mix for Peterson since mid-May when cornerbacks coach Rod West extended a scholarship offer to the talented cornerback prospect.
Peterson took an official visit to Morgantown during the June 13-15 weekend after previously taking a trip to Florida Atlantic the prior weekend.
Peterson is being slotted as a cornerback in the West Virginia defensive scheme.
WVSports.com breaks down the commitment of Peterson and what it means to the West Virginia Mountaineers football program both now and in the future.
Skill set:
Peterson has great size and length which he effectively uses to his advantage in coverage. A fluid, natural cornerback, Peterson uses his long arms well against opposing wide receivers when asked to press. Plays the game with a physical element and uses his size to his advantage in both coverage and run support.
Peterson runs well and demonstrates the ability to flip his hips and get down the field in coverage. Also reacts quickly to the ball which allows him to create pass breakups.
This is a smooth cover cornerback at the high school level that can run.
Fitting the program:
West Virginia is going to need cornerbacks after six of the 11 currently on the roster are set to depart the program after the 2025 season. The Mountaineers are going to need players that can step in and contribute at the position both in 2026 and in the future. Peterson is an impressive athlete that shows the ability to run well and has coveted size at the position.
West Virginia extended an offer to Peterson after seeing him in person during the evaluation period and he subsequently committed to the program after seeing it in person. That connection should help with any adjustment that might come with traveling to the Mountain State from Florida.
Florida has always and will remain a massive recruiting area for the Mountaineers and the program has demonstrated the ability yet again to go into the Sunshine State and land a key target.
Recruiting the position:
Cornerback is a spot that always needs help and even with Peterson in the fold the Mountaineers should continue to remain aggressive trying to find prospects that fit the mold. Versatility has been key for this recruiting class but identifying natural corners is also a necessity for the Mountaineers. Peterson checks that box but it’s likely he won’t represent the last addition at that spot in the class.
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