We’re at the bye week, and West Virginia is sitting on a 5-3 record with a two-game winning streak. That gives the Mountaineers a natural chance to look ahead, and the biggest question isn’t just who helps them now - it’s who has to be part of the foundation heading toward 2027.
There are already clear pieces in place, and there are also a few younger players who should keep climbing as they stack more experience. With that in mind, here are the players WVU needs to hold onto as it tries to build something special for 2027.
A few names deserve mention even though they didn’t crack the top 10: OL Amare Grayson, OL Nick Krahe, WR TaRon Francis, DL Nate Gabriel, and DL Corey McIntyre JR.
Topping the list is obvious. Hawkins is priority number one.
Conversations between his camp and WVU have been going on for weeks, and while a resolution during the bye week would be ideal, that doesn’t sound likely. The sense is that this one probably gets settled at season’s end.
Hawkins has already won two National Offensive Player of the Week honors and leads the country in rushing touchdowns through eight games. He’s the real deal, and he’s going to be worth every penny of whatever deal he signs.
Cook presents a different kind of decision. He’s not a transfer-portal situation; it’s either one more year at WVU or a jump to the NFL.
The Mountaineers will put together a package to keep him in Morgantown and make sure the offer is competitive with what he could get if he’s drafted late. That’s why he lands here with an asterisk.
If WVU gets him back for his fifth and final year of eligibility, that would be a huge win.
The freshman behind him has barely had a chance to shine, but that’s what happens when you’re stuck behind one of the nation’s best backs. Still, every week it feels like the game is slowing down for him. The hesitation is fading, he’s taking the handoff and getting downhill fast, and once Cook heads to the NFL, he looks like the next man up to post eye-popping numbers.
Strachan may never be the featured receiver, but he can absolutely change a game. His value comes from those downfield opportunities, where he can go up and snatch the ball.
Injuries have been part of his career, and when you layer that on top of his production, it’s hard to imagine anyone swooping in to pry him away. Even so, with DJ Epps and Jaden Bray set to graduate, WVU has to keep Strachan in the fold.
Brown is still early in his development, but there’s plenty to like. For an 18-year-old making the leap from high school to major college football, he’s handled himself well in year one. He’s only going to get better as the reps pile up, and before long, he could be one of the best linemen in college football.
Holloman has probably been the most reliable part of the defense this season, and that’s saying something even if the bar hasn’t always been high. He’s up to 21 pressures, which is only three shy of the team leaders WVU had in that category a year ago, Devin Grant and Reid Carrico. He also still has two years of eligibility left.
Tobror is still in the early stages of his college football education. He didn’t start playing until late in high school, so the learning curve has been steep, and the freshman mistakes can jump off the screen.
But the more time he gets in the system and the more comfortable he becomes, the better he should be. His future looks bright, and he should develop into a quality starter.
West Virginia is expected to look for corner help in the transfer portal this offseason, but Taylor is one player the staff should want to keep. Outside of the next name on this list, he’s been the best player in the secondary this year, and his physical style stands out.
Latimer has been one of the most active defenders on the roster all season. He’s always near the football, bringing heavy contact and attacking the ball with force.
In Saturday’s game, he delivered two major hits on consecutive plays that injured TCU players. Time after time, he’s been in the middle of the action, either making the play himself or showing up right beside it.
Sieg left Saturday’s game with an injury, and the hope is that it won’t keep him out long. Like Kevin Brown, he’s a talented young player who just needs more snaps. The coaching staff remains confident he can grow into an all-league type of talent, but he’s in a difficult spot right now without much help around him.
In Other News...
WVU's Breakout Quarterback Just Made The Future Feel More Urgent
Mike Hawkins Jr. has given West Virginia exactly the kind of spark it hoped for when it brought him in, and his early production has already pushed him into the national conversation. He ranks 11th nationally in rushing yards and is tied for the lead in rushing touchdowns, a start that has made him one of the most important players in Rich Rodriguezs offense and one of the biggest reasons the Mountaineers future suddenly feels tied to his.
Rodriguez has not been shy about how much he values Hawkins, praising his ability and making it clear he wants to keep him around for the rest of his eligibility. Talks between Hawkins and West Virginia about what comes next have reportedly been ongoing, and the encouraging sign for the Mountaineers is that Hawkins appears to see more in the program than money alone. For a team trying to build around a rising quarterback, that makes this one of the more important conversations on the board. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Has A Few New Defensive Answers Worth Watching After The Bye
The bye week gave West Virginia a chance to keep searching for answers on defense, and a few familiar names made the case for more playing time. LeBlanc was one of the biggest beneficiaries, getting extended work on the defensive line and turning in his best game yet with multiple tackles and a defensive stop. Khatri also looked more comfortable after moving from nickel to linebacker, a change that fit his high school background and seemed to bring out better play.
Elsewhere, Hawkins and Bradford continued to see their defensive snaps rise as the staff works through injuries and uneven production in the secondary. Bradford, in particular, appears to be gaining more trust from the coaching staff, while a Georgia transfer did not get on the field in the latest game despite showing well in earlier appearances. For a defense still trying to sort out its rotation, those are the kinds of developments worth tracking as the Mountaineers come out of the break. [Read more 🡒]
Rich Rodriguez Made WVU's TCU Win About Something Much Bigger
The win at TCU carried an extra layer for West Virginia, one that had little to do with the box score and everything to do with memory. Rich Rodriguez and his staff paid tribute to Ike Morris, a longtime supporter of Mountaineer athletics and one of Rodriguezs closest mentors, by wearing hats marked with IKE during the game. Morris died at 88, and the gesture gave the night a far more personal meaning for a program still finding its footing under Rodriguez.
Rodriguez spoke afterward about how much Morris meant to him and how deeply his influence ran through the programs story. For a coach trying to build momentum, the emotional undercurrent made the result feel bigger than one road win, turning it into a tribute to someone whose presence had long been part of West Virginia football. [Read more 🡒]