Earlier this month, I laid out my projected West Virginia offensive and defensive depth charts heading into fall camp, and for the most part, I feel pretty good about how the two-deep will look. There are still a few spots that feel a little hazy - the defensive line stands out there - but the bigger question now is which players are close enough to force their way into the mix.
Four names jump out as the ones most likely to sneak inside the two-deep.
The first is the junior college receiver who lit up the slot at Pearl River CC last season, averaging 16 yards per catch. I think his biggest impact will come in 2027, but there’s no reason he can’t work his way into the rotation this fall with DJ Epps and Armoni Weaver-Bomar.
The key for him is proving he can do more than win on quick-game looks. At 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, he has the frame to take contact over the middle and keep the ball secured.
On the defensive line, LeBlanc is a name worth watching. He arrives from UT Permian Basin, a Division II program in Texas, and as a redshirt freshman last season he put up 32 tackles, including 13 solo stops, along with five tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Coming from the D-II level, he hasn’t gotten nearly the same attention as some of West Virginia’s other new defensive linemen, but he has length and should help against the run. He looks like a player who could earn a rotational role early, maybe even by the opener.
Hall is another defender who could carve out a spot if the linebacker room thins out the way I expect it might. He had some coverage issues at Villanova, but he still produced as both a run defender and pass rusher.
Last season, he logged 17 pressures and posted a 78.2 pass-rushing grade on Pro Football Focus, while missing only three tackles. If he gets on the field, don’t be surprised if defensive coordinator Zac Alley gets creative with how he uses him.
Then there’s Reddic, who played mostly free safety at Stephen F. Austin and figures to settle into that same role behind Andrew Powdrell and Matt Sieg in Alley's defense.
He’s the kind of player you notice right away because he brings real pop as a tackler. That physical style could also let him move into the box at times, and maybe even handle some nickel/sam duties.
Last season, he finished with 44 tackles, four passes defended and an interception.
In Other News...
Bob Huggins Documentary Premiere Will Stir Mixed Emotions For WVU Fans
A new Bob Huggins documentary is set to give West Virginia fans another look at one of the most complicated figures in program history, with Beyond the Bench - The Bob Huggins Legacy premiering Aug. 7 in Morgantown. The film is built around Huggins coaching career and personal life, and it leans on interviews with former players to revisit the run that made him such a defining presence in Mountaineers basketball.
For WVU fans, the reaction figures to be mixed, which is probably fitting for a coach whose legacy still carries both pride and pain. The documentary also touches on Huggins work in cancer research fundraising, adding another layer to a story that is bigger than wins and losses, even as the premiere itself offers different ways to take it in for those who want to be there. [Read more 🡒]
Why WVU Fans Are Finally Being Asked To Believe Again
West Virginia football has spent too long living through its worst seven-year stretch since the 1970s, and the result has been a fan base that has had to lower its expectations far too often. But there is a different tone around the program now, with university president Michael T. Benson and athletic director Wren Baker both pushing to strengthen the foundation, grow revenue and give the team more resources to compete at a higher level.
The on-field case for optimism is not built on wishful thinking, either. The roster has some promising young pieces and returning starters, and the staff sees a path to something sturdier than a quick fix. What makes this feel different is the sense that West Virginia is being constructed for more than one season at a time, with enough talent and continuity to make the next step feel possible even before the final piece is in place. [Read more 🡒]