West Virginia is continuing to build its future the old-fashioned way - through high school recruiting - and the Mountaineers just made a notable move in that direction by offering a scholarship to 2027 wing Deuce McDuffie.
The offer, extended by assistant coach Yusuf Ali, comes as part of WVU’s broader push to lock in young, high-upside talent early. Ali, known for his recruiting chops at the high school level, has been instrumental in identifying and targeting emerging prospects, and McDuffie fits that mold perfectly.
Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing in at 205 pounds, McDuffie is a small forward out of Nicolet High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He’s currently rated as a four-star prospect with a 0.9565 composite score, placing him at No. 106 nationally in the 2027 class and sixth overall in the state of Wisconsin. While 247Sports has him listed as a three-star with an 88 rating, the consensus is clear: McDuffie is trending up, and fast.
That rise isn’t just on paper. McDuffie has been climbing the rankings throughout his junior season, jumping roughly 60 spots in the composite rankings - a clear sign that his game is evolving and catching the attention of scouts and coaches alike.
He’s already drawn interest from several high-major programs, with offers in hand from TCU, UCF, Wisconsin, and DePaul. And with the way his stock is rising, don’t be surprised if more schools join the race soon.
For West Virginia, the offer to McDuffie is another example of the staff’s commitment to building from the ground up. Head coach Ross Hodge and his team have made it clear that they want to develop talent from the high school level, and bringing in players like McDuffie - who combine size, skill, and upward trajectory - is a key part of that blueprint.
McDuffie adds to a growing list of 2027 prospects on WVU’s radar, and while there’s still a long road ahead in his recruitment, it’s clear the Mountaineers are positioning themselves early for one of the Midwest’s most intriguing young wings.