West Virginia’s 2026 picture is already taking shape, and the latest projected depth chart comes with a fresh round of updates after the July 8 roster refresh.
The 2025 season, Rich Rodriguez’s first back at WVU, ended at 4-8. With spring practice finished and July underway, the focus has shifted to where the Mountaineers stand for 2026.
This depth chart is being tracked and updated throughout the offseason, with italics used for newcomers and “INJ” marking players recovering from serious injury. Jersey numbers will be added once they’re finalized, and because this is a depth chart rather than a full roster tracker, not every player is included.
Some walk-ons may be left out, and if eligibility is unclear, a player is not listed.
The biggest recent changes came on July 8, when official roster numbers were added and a few defensive line spots were adjusted based on the updated roster. Two days earlier, Darius Morant was added at running back, Brad Mossor was moved from running back to wide receiver, Phillip Bowser was removed because he is no longer on the roster, and there was also a change along the offensive line. SirPaul Cheeks is also not on the roster, which is being monitored.
There was a notable shift at center on June 27, when Wes King moved into the first-string role.
The secondary also saw movement in late May. On May 23, Andrew Powdrell was elevated to the starting safety spot after leaked testing times that were described as remarkable, and Rodriguez also said in an interview that he was ready to start the moment he stepped on campus. A minor change was made at Bandit as well.
Earlier offseason updates kept reshaping the board. On April 20, several players were moved around after spring ball and the spring showcase.
On March 13, the official heights and weights from the WVU roster were updated, prompting a couple more changes. On February 13, JUCO defensive back Tim Roberson was added as a player who will suit up for WVU this season.
Roster movement kept coming in February and January. On February 3, positions were adjusted again because of official roster updates, and Shane Cornali was added from Wheeling University, where he was a high school teammate of Matt Sieg. On January 24, safety Kameron Reddic committed to WVU, and a few players who were no longer on the roster were removed.
January brought a long list of additions and departures. FB Kayden Luke, LB Jason Hall and EDGE Zeke Campbell committed on January 19.
On January 16, Oregon EDGE Tobi Haastrup, LSU safety Jacob Bradford, Kent State cornerback Jaire Rawlison and Brad Mossor committed, while incoming freshman defensive end Kamdon Gillespie was released of his NLI. On January 13, offensive linemen Brandon Homady and Mickel Clay transferred out, and tight end Cam Ball transferred in.
On January 8, Wyoming guard Wes King and LSU wide receiver TaRon Francis committed.
The January 7 wave included UNLV cornerback Andrew Powdrell, Bowling Green EDGE David Afogho, Memphis safety Kamari Wilson, FAU linebacker Tyler Stolsky and Kennesaw State offensive lineman Devin Vass all committing to WVU, while EDGE Curtis Jones Jr. transferred out. On January 6, wide receiver Prince Strachan, a USC transfer, committed along with running back Cam Cook from Jax State and Illinois linebacker Malachi Hood.
That same day, linebacker Ben Bogle announced he would enter the portal, and UNLV linebacker Isaiah Patterson announced his transfer to WVU. Also on January 6, Troy transfer wide receiver DJ Epps committed.
The January 5 additions were quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr, cornerback Maliek Hawkins and cornerback Geimere Latimer II, all from power-4 programs. On January 4, defensive lineman Will LeBlanc committed, and wide receiver Christian Hamilton transferred out.
On January 3, Bandit Keenan Eck, wide receiver Jordan McCants and tight end Noah Braham all transferred. On January 1, wide receiver Rodney Gallagher III and defensive lineman Asani Redwood entered the transfer process.
The final stretch of December and early January had already started reshaping the roster. Marshon Oxley at Bandit, running back Cyncir Bowers and defensive lineman Elijah Simmons were expected to transfer on December 31.
The expected transfers of wide receiver Jarel Williams and IOL Donovan Haslam were added on December 30. On December 27, expected departures included defensive back Israel Boyce, offensive lineman Xavier Bausley and wide receiver Cam Vaughn.
On December 22, cornerback Dawayne Galloway Jr. was expected to transfer. On December 19, the expected departure of running backs Clay Ash and Kannon Katzer was noted.
On December 14, linebacker Caleb Nuhi-Yandall and safety Jason Cross Jr. were expected to transfer. On December 11, quarterback Khalil Wilkins and safety William Davis were expected to enter the portal.
And on December 10, the expected portal departures of Tyler Jacklich, Cooper Young, Robby Martin and Adam Tomczyk were added.
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Three years ago, Kalani Sitake found himself in the middle of one of the more memorable West Virginia traditions without fully understanding the fine print. The BYU coach had talked up hearing fans sing Take Me Home, Country Roads at a game, only to later realize that at WVU, the song is reserved for after a win. It was the kind of harmless misstep that sticks because it says so much about how deeply that anthem is tied to Mountaineer football and the atmosphere around it.
Sitake revisited the moment during Big 12 Media Day and handled it with the sort of perspective that tends to play well in league circles. He acknowledged the mistake and made clear he respects what the song means in Morgantown, which is part of why the exchange has lingered beyond the original game. BYU and WVU are not on each others schedule this season, but the next trip to Morgantown is already on the horizon. [Read more 🡒]
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For West Virginia, the branding move also opens the door to more local creativity. Athletic director Wren Baker has already mentioned the possibility of pursuing an additional jersey patch sponsorship, and the Mountaineers are actively looking for more revenue streams as college athletics keeps pushing deeper into the commercial space. What that could look like for WVU uniforms is still taking shape, but the conversation is clearly moving beyond conference-wide branding and into school-specific add-ons. [Read more 🡒]
Big 12 Commissioner Just Sent WVU Fans A Powerful Message
West Virginia has spent the spring and summer giving the Big 12 plenty to notice. The womens basketball team won the conference tournament, the baseball program reached the College World Series, and those milestones have only added to the sense that the Mountaineers are building something that travels well beyond a single season. That backdrop made Brett Yormarks comments at media days stand out, because the commissioner was not just acknowledging results. He was signaling that WVUs brand, investment and overall direction are being noticed at the highest level of the league.
For Mountaineer fans, the encouraging part is that the praise went beyond polite conference talk. Yormark pointed to the schools competitive potential and the way its fan base shows up, which matters in a league that values both performance and energy. There is also a broader layer here: West Virginia seems to fit the Big 12s culture in a way that could matter again if the conference landscape shifts, and the optimism around what Wren Baker is building only adds to that picture. [Read more 🡒]