The bowl game is about to get underway in Frisco, but now that the 2024 regular season is officially in the books for the West Virginia Mountaineers, we’ll take a minute (or ten) to look back on how the top performers did this year.
Forty-seven players on the roster played a significant role, battled injuries, or saw enough action to make a quick evaluation. I provided a blurb on each of those 47 players below.
. QB Garrett Greene
Disappointing year for GG after receiving a ton of hype not only locally, but nationally as well. Took a step back as a passer despite seeing a slight increase in completion percentage. Still, one of the toughest quarterbacks to ever play at WVU.
2. QB Nicco Marchiol
A small sample size from Marchiol this season, but he made the most of it. All this young man does is win. Even with a new staff coming in, he’s positioned himself as the leader for the QB1 job in 2025…for now.
3. RB Jahiem White
The big running lanes just weren’t there this season for White as they were in 2023, but he still showcased his explosive ability. Personally, I thought he should have played second fiddle to CJ Donaldson yet still received the same amount of touches.
4. RB CJ Donaldson Jr.
Donaldson disappeared in many games this season for some unknown reason. I have a feeling with this new staff coming in, assuming he stays, that won’t be the case. He’ll be utilized correctly and heavily.
5. WR Hudson Clement
A slow start to the season for “Huddy,” but he ended up being the most consistent receiver on the roster. Now, he needs to take that next step and be one of the best receivers in the league.
6. WR Traylon Ray
An unfortunate end to the season for T. Ray, who appeared to be turning a corner at the time of his injury. As long as his recovery goes well, he’ll be in line for a big 2025.
7. WR Rodney Gallagher III
I’ll be honest: I expected Gallagher to have a more diverse route tree. Instead, he was used on a lot of jet sweeps and screens. He’ll fit nicely in Rich Rod’s offense and could perhaps take on a Jock Sanders-ish role.
8. WR Justin Robinson
Another player, I thought, was underutilized. He made big plays early on in the season, but because he wasn’t as polished as a blocker, he didn’t see as much playing time. A big mistake on the staff, in my opinion. Not every player is the complete package.
9. WR Preston Fox
P. Fox is as good as they come in the return game. He took a smaller role on offense, but it helped him perfect his role as a returner. It’ll be interesting to see if he sees more action at wideout if he returns.
10. WR Jaden Bray
Bray battled injuries all year long, but I also wonder if his practice play didn’t translate to the games well. Even when healthy, Bray didn’t get many looks. Wouldn’t be shocked if he tried to find an offense that spins it more this offseason.
11. WR Ric’Darius Farmer
A key player that Rich Rodriguez needs to keep. He didn’t get many opportunities as a true freshman, but he has top-end speed, and that will play just fine in Rodriguez’s system.
12. TE Kole Taylor
Mr. Consistent. Taylor was hoping to put up bigger numbers this fall and probably would have if the passing game took a step. Still, he made big catches on a weekly basis and was a go-to target for Greene. He’ll play at the next level for a while.
13. TE Treylan Davis
One of the toughest, grittiest players on the entire roster. Remember how Rich Rodriguez said he wanted tough a** players on his team? Here’s one of them. He plays such a big piece in WVU’s ground game but doesn’t get the recognition he deserves.
14. TE Jack Sammarco
A major surprise, to me at least, that Sammarco found his way onto the field some as a true freshman. With Kole Taylor and Treylan Davis already having roles and Sammarco needing to develop as a receiver, I expected a redshirt year for him. That experience will be big moving into 2025 as Taylor departs.
15. OL Wyatt Milum
All-American. Soon-to-be first-round pick. Is there much else to say here? Milum will go down as one of the best players to ever suit up in the Old Gold and Blue and will be a franchise guy for some lucky team this spring.
16. OL Tomas Rimac
First it was Colton McKivitz, then it was Zach Frazier/Doug Nester, then Wyatt Milum, and now, the torch will be passed on to Rimac as the leader of the o-line.
17. OL Brandon Yates
Obviously, the snaps were an issue at times, but he worked his way out of that funk. Probably won’t play center moving forward, but it shows scouts he has the versatility to play all five spots. NFL teams love that.
18. OL Ja’Quay Hubbard
It was an up-and-down year for Hubbard. He gave up a few sacks and had some missed assignments in the run game, but it wasn’t all bad. Consistency was the missing ingredient.
19. OL Nick Malone
Best story of the 2024 season? The former walk-on entered camp in a battle with Jax State transfer Xavier Bausley, and once he was named the starter, he never looked back. Believe it or not, Malone graded out as one of the top offensive linemen in the country. He may or may not get drafted, but he’s earned a spot in the NFL.
20. DL T.J. Jackson
West Virginia desperately needed a pass rusher going into 2024, and Jackson provided that and then some. He may be undersized, but his speed and quick twitch cause problems for opposing o-lines.
21. DL Fatorma Mulbah
Mulbah has always had the body to be a big-time issue in the middle, but it took him a little bit of time, and that’s okay. He played well all year but really got on a roll toward the end of the season. Another guy that may not get drafted but should get a shot in the NFL. You can’t teach size, and he has it.
22. DL Sean Martin
Martin never developed into a top-end pass rusher as I expected him to, but he was exceptional at setting the edge and funneling the run game back inside, allowing his teammates to make plays.
23. DL Hammond Russell IV
Nose looked like a real thin spot on West Virginia’s roster entering the year, but it became a strength as Russell continued to show he could help. A good starting point for the defense to build around up front for next season.
24. DL Asani Redwood
Redwood battled another injury last offseason, which took away from his development. That being said, he still produced when given snaps. Staying healthy and getting a full offseason in the weight room will be pivotal.
25. DL Nate Gabriel
Gabriel has a big body, which can cause trouble for the interior of an offensive line, but he has to get stronger and a little faster laterally. If he does, he’ll turn into a key building block for the Mountaineers.
26. DL Edward Vesterinen
Eddy V went down in the UAlbany game with a nasty injury and did not return. He can use a redshirt and return for one more year, but that will, of course, come down to the new staff and if they view him as a fit/need.
27. LB Tyrin Bradley Jr.
A huge improvement for Bradley in his second and final year in Morgantown. He was West Virginia’s turnover machine and did a solid job in the run game. They’ll miss his production.
28. LB Ty French
French lit up the FCS, and I may have had my expectations for what he could do at WVU a tad too high. He didn’t factor in as much as a pass rusher, which was a big surprise.
29. LB Trey Lathan
Lathan has to get better in pass coverage, but he’s still rock solid against the run and as a blitzer. Switching positions to more of a stand-up edge rusher may be in the cards, depending on what style of defense the Mountaineers roll with.
30. LB Josiah Trotter
Trotter won the Big 12’s Defensive Freshman of the Year, and it was well-earned. He made a big difference in the run game, although his struggles against the pass were glaring at times. He entered the portal and landed at Missouri earlier this week. A big loss for West Virginia.
31. LB Reid Carrico
Not the fastest linebacker of the bunch, but he did a good job of playing the role of garbage man. Turned out to be a decent pick-up out of the portal, especially for someone who was primarily a special teamer at Ohio State.
32. LB Ben Cutter
Cutter took a step back this year in terms of his role, but that was expected with Trotter and Lathan healthy. I’m honestly a little surprised they didn’t do a reverse redshirt year, letting him get four games in and use the rest of the season to develop, something he couldn’t do in 2023.
33. LB Caden Biser
The former walk-on also took on a reduced role this season with a healthier room. He played a lot on special teams and served as a depth piece on defense. That’s likely the role he’ll play as a senior next year as well.
34. CB Garnett Hollis Jr.
Hollis was a rock-solid corner at Northwestern, and at the time of his signing with WVU, it felt like the defense got significantly better. Instead, Hollis had issues in pass coverage throughout the season and just never felt like a good scheme fit. You hit some in the portal and you miss some. This felt like a miss.
35. CB Dontez Fagan
I thought Fagan was probably one of West Virginia’s most consistent pieces in the back end, although that’s not saying much. His numbers would have looked even better had he been able to hold onto a few interceptions, most notably a pick-six opportunity in the Backyard Brawl.
36. CB Ayden Garnes
The coaching staff overhyped Garnes in the preseason as his jump to the FBS saw its bumps in the road. The skillset is there for Garnes to be an above-average corner, but there was maybe a tad too much pressure on him in year one.
37. CB Jacolby Spells
Spells didn’t get nearly as much playing time as I thought he would, but perhaps there was a reason for that. He came to WVU as one of the highest-rated recruits in his class but has yet to make much of an impact and only has one year of eligibility left.
38. CB TJ Crandall
I thought Crandall would develop into a decent player in Morgantown, but it just didn’t work out. He hopped in the transfer portal and is expected to land at Oregon State.
39. S Anthony Wilson Jr.
Hit or miss, literally. When Wilson squared up his target, he’d bring the boom. Unfortunately, he wasn’t as sharp in pass coverage, particularly on deep balls.
40. S Aubrey Burks
A very unfortunate way for Burks to end his Mountaineer career, spending the majority of the year beat up. I’m not sure if he has more football in his future, but he was one of the only consistent defensive players in the secondary during Neal Brown’s tenure.
41. S Kekoura Tarnue
Tarnue got better as the season moved along, and he felt more comfortable within the scheme. He split time as a corner and safety at Jax State last year, so settling into safety took some time. I believe he would have been a better fit at corner, which is something I stated when he first signed.
42. Zae Jennings
Jennings can absolutely fly, as evident on special teams. He’ll see more of an increased role on defense moving forward, potentially finding himself in a starting role.
43. S Israel Boyce
Like Jennings, it was a small sample size for Boyce defensively, but he put some good things on tape. Interested to see if he sticks at safety or if he’s moved to corner in the new scheme.
44. S Jaheem Joseph
Like his teammate at Northwestern, Garnett Hollis Jr., Joseph appeared to be a big get in the portal for WVU. I’d give him a solid B grade. Wasn’t great or at an elite level, but he was more than serviceable. Does he fit the next defensive scheme, though? We’ll see.
45. K Michael Hayes
Hayes was phenomenal once again this season. Very accurate and very reliable on field goals. Kickoffs, however, were an adventure at times. Neal Brown said the goal was to kick touchbacks and not kick them short or out of bounds, but there were way too many kicks that were angled in the corner. He had no problem with touchbacks at his previous stop.
46. P Oliver Straw
Straw upped his average by a hair this season but came up with some big punts when the Mountaineers needed them. Best punter WVU’s had since Nick O’Toole.
47. LS Austin Brinkman
My rule of thumb with long snappers is you never want to hear their name. Brinkman accomplished that. Well done. He continues a nice run on WVU long snappers who will get a crack at the NFL.
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