The West Virginia Mountaineers football program has added a talented piece to the tight end room with a commitment from North Carolina transfer Ryan Ward.
Ward, 6-foot-3, 245-pounds, entered the transfer portal April 25 and quickly took an official visit to Morgantown May 2 in order to see the football program.
He would then take an official visit to Virginia before selecting the Mountaineers.
The New Jersey native spent only one full season with the Tar Heels after enrolling in January 2024 and appeared in nine games where he saw eight snaps at tight end and was used on special teams.
The former three-star prospect was a highly productive tight end at Rutherford High School where he posted 85 receptions for 1,823 yards and 27 touchdowns on offense.
Ward has three seasons of eligibility remaining in his college career.
Ward becomes the second tight end addition for West Virginia since the spring transfer portal window opened joining Northern Illinois tight end Grayson Barnes.
WVSports.com breaks down the transfer commitment of Ward and what it means to the West Virginia Mountaineers football program both now and in the future.
The data:
Ward only saw eight snaps as a tight end during his time with the Tar Heels and he was used as a run blocker across seven of those. He did fare well in those limited snaps with a run blocking grade of 69.5 according to Pro Football Focus and has the size necessary to handle that role.
While Ward wasn’t used as a pass catcher in his time on the field at Chapel Hill, he has demonstrated that ability over the course of his football career and will be able to help in that department as well.
Fitting the program:
Ward gives West Virginia a tight end option that is oozing with potential and has yet to reach his potential at the college level across his lone season. He had a very productive high school career and drew interest from multiple power four programs once he entered his name into the transfer portal.
The Mountaineers landed an impressive prospect who now has a real chance to come in and make a dent as a young option.
West Virginia now has six tight ends on the roster, but three of those are likely entering the final season of their college careers which means that even if Ward somehow doesn’t play a major role in year one there is a clear runway for him to step into that over the next two. With three years remaining, Ward fits the profile for what the Mountaineers want at the position as a complete option.
Ward has already visited Morgantown, and that trip was key in his decision making it a strong fit all around.
Recruiting the position:
With the addition of Ward on top of previously adding Barnes to the tight end room it would seem on the surface that the Mountaineers have likely filled their needs in the room. There is a good mix between veterans and young players with upside, but it certainly wouldn’t be the most surprising development if the coaching staff still elected to add at least one more to the fold to round things out.
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