West Virginia has added an experienced option on the defensive front with a commitment from Wyoming transfer defensive end Braden Siders.
Siders, 6-foot-3, 252-pounds, spent four seasons with the Cowboys but played in a total of three of those seasons. Over the past three years, Siders appeared in 33 total games and started 26.
The Colorado native was initially committed to Arizona but elected to flip his commitment to the Mountaineers giving the football program a season and productive piece up front.
Over the course of his three years on the field, Siders has 91 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. That included last season where he had 21 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and 3 sacks in eight games, while his best campaign was in 2022 with 44 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 7 sacks.
Siders is the first defensive lineman to commit to West Virginia out of the transfer portal and gives the Mountaineers an experienced option at the defensive end spot.
Siders took an official visit to West Virginia and that helped with wrestling him away from the Wildcats.
Siders has one season of eligibility remaining in his career.
WVSports.com breaks down the transfer of Siders and what it means to the West Virginia Mountaineers football program both now and in the future.
The data:
Siders has played a total of 1,256 snaps on the defensive side over the course of his career giving the Mountaineers a seasoned and productive option up front. This past season even in eight games, Siders graded out at 72.6 according to Pro Football Focus and was strong in most spots.
Siders has three years of strong play to his credit when he is healthy and that makes him a strong addition for West Virginia for his final season of eligibility.
Fitting the program:
West Virginia has a total of 13 scholarship players outside of Siders but outside of Eddie Vesterinen he is by far the most experienced in terms of snaps played. That is going to pave the way for him to make a dent in the rotation from the jump and with his experience and production it means that the Mountaineers will have a veteran to rely on at the defensive end spot.
The Mountaineers haven’t recruited Colorado a lot over the years, but Siders has visited campus and there is a clear understanding of what is being asked out of him and the plans for him.
West Virginia was able to make a splash by pulling away a talented transfer portal piece from a fellow Big 12 team and that is a win all around for the Mountaineers.
Recruiting the position:
West Virginia is in a solid spot when it comes to defensive lineman on the roster. There is always the possibility that West Virginia adds another defensive end but it isn’t as much of a priority as some of the other spots on the roster.
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