West Virginia has secured a pledge from one of the key targets on the board in Miami (Fla.) Northwestern 2025 defensive end Wilnerson Telemaque.
Telemaque, 6-foot-6, 250-pounds, picked the Mountaineers after opening up his recruitment in late October after committing to Wisconsin over the summer. At the time West Virginia was one of the front runners in his recruitment prior to him somewhat surprisingly picking the Badgers.
The Mountaineers extended a scholarship offer to the Rivals.com three-star prospect in September of his junior season and he developed a strong connection with both defensive line coach AJ Jackson and area recruiter wide receivers coach Bilal Marshall.
Telemaque made multiple visits to Morgantown but took his official visit to campus May 31-June 2.
West Virginia is slotting Telemaque at strongside defensive end, and the coaching staff loves his combination of both speed and power at the position. He also possesses impressive length with his frame.
Telemaque is the fifth pledge for West Virginia along the defensive line in the 2025 cycle behind Nashville (Tn.) Lipscomb Academy defensive lineman Amir Leonard-Jean Charles, Cleveland Heights (Oh.)defensive lineman Brandon Caesar, Upper Marlboro (Md.) Wise defensive end Taylor Brown and Huntingtown (Md.) defensive lineman Evan Powell and represents the 22nd overall in the class.
WVSports.com breaks down the commitment of Telemaque and what it means for the West Virginia Mountaineers football program both now and in the future.
Skill set:
Physically Telemaque just stands out. He is a legit 6-foot-6 and has impressive length and power at the high school level. He has a strong motor and displays the ability to use his length and agility to get to the passer.
Given his size, Telemaque often commands double-teams at the high school level but still displays the ability to disrupt the pocket and get good push up front. His best football is ahead of him as he continues to fill out his frame, but his length and athleticism makes him a very intriguing option up front.
West Virginia has landed a high upside defensive lineman that once he refines his technique and body further is likely to be a problem for opposing teams in the Big 12 Conference.
Fitting the program:
Telemaque has been a key target throughout this process for West Virginia and adding somebody that’s been right at the top of the board at any position is always a positive for the program. The Mountaineers have had a lot of success with players from the Sunshine State over the years and Telemaque is just the latest example.
West Virginia wanted to find a lengthy defensive lineman with the frame to add plenty of weight and Telemaque checks all of those boxes. Similar in stature to current defensive lineman Sean Martin, the Mountaineers likely have many of the same plans for Telemaque at strongside defensive end down the line.
The program will have six scholarship players that can fill roles at defensive end when Telemaque arrives on campus but will need to replace some key pieces. That means that opportunity will be there for him early if he proves he is capable of stepping into a role early in his career. Like most defensive lineman, Telemaque is going to need to continue to fill out his frame, but all of the tools are there.
Recruiting the position:
Telemaque is a major piece up front given his size and where he slotted in on the recruiting board for the Mountaineers and his addition should bring a close to recruiting at that spot in this cycle.
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