The first week of the NFL preseason is in the books, and seventeen Mountaineers are on official rosters around the league. Their spots on the depth chart are starting to come into focus, and a handful of them are already sitting near the top.
Geno Smith is listed on the first team at quarterback for the New York Jets, while Zach Frazier has landed on the first team at center for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Colton McKivitz is also a first-team player, holding down the right tackle spot for the San Francisco 49ers.
The first-team group also includes two long snappers: Rex Sunahara with the Cleveland Browns and Austin Brinkman with the Houston Texans.
On the second team, Wyatt Milum is listed at right guard for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Dante Stills is on the second team at right defensive end for the Arizona Cardinals, and Rasul Douglas is there at left cornerback for the Washington Commanders.
A few more Mountaineers are further down the board. Doug Nester is on the third team at right tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers, while David Sills and Garrett Greene are both third-team wide receivers for the Tampa Bay Bucs. Chase Wilson is third team at middle linebacker for the New York Jets, and Beanie Bishop is third team at nickelback for the Chicago Bears.
The fourth team includes Jeff Weimer at wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs, Fatorma Mulbah at defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins, Tony Fields at weakside linebacker for the Chicago Bears, and Michael Coats at right cornerback for the Cleveland Browns.
In Other News...
Prince Strachan Could Change Everything For West Virginias Passing Game
West Virginia got a useful update on Prince Strachan this week, and it comes at a good time as Rich Rodriguez keeps sorting out the passing game. The USC transfer had already dealt with an ankle injury last year that cut into his time with the Trojans, and then a shoulder issue in the spring game slowed him again after he arrived in Morgantown.
Rich Rodriguez said Strachan is now back in the mix as the Mountaineers continue building toward fall, and his background has the staff convinced he can be a real factor on the outside. For a team looking for more downfield production, the timing matters, because Strachan is expected to step into a major role and give West Virginia a different kind of target at receiver. [Read more 🡒]
WVU May Have A Rare Freshman Weapon In The Backfield
Amari Latimer has already turned heads in Morgantown before carrying the ball in a meaningful snap. The West Virginia freshman running back arrived with a frame that stands out even in a room built around physicality, and running backs coach Jay Boulware has been quick to note how much Latimer brings beyond just size. There is a power element to his game, but what has made the early impression stronger is the way that build pairs with real skill, giving the Mountaineers a young back who looks different from the typical first-year player.
For West Virginia, that matters because the backfield picture is already taking shape around Latimers place in it. He is expected to be part of the rotation this season, with a role that could grow as the staff looks for dependable production behind Cam Cook. Freshman backs usually spend their first months learning the speed of the college game, but Latimer sounds like someone the Mountaineers may be able to trust sooner than most, which makes his development one of the more interesting subplots of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Rich Rodriguez Sends Early Message To WVU Young Players
West Virginias first preseason scrimmage gave Rich Rodriguez a useful early look at where his roster stands, and the initial takeaway was a familiar one for a coach trying to install his standard quickly: the work is there, but the edge still needs sharpening. Rodriguez said he liked the teams effort overall while also making clear that the young players are still learning the scheme and getting used to what he expects on every rep.
The Mountaineers are only at the beginning of camp, with more practices coming before media availability later in the week and one final preseason scrimmage still on the schedule. For a program trying to sort out who can help this fall, the next stretch matters because Rodriguez has already shown he wants maximum intensity in every drill, and the younger group has a chance to turn early adjustment into real trust if the pace picks up soon. [Read more 🡒]