Josiah Scott could bolster WVU defense

Prep standout Josiah Scott could be the next defensive star for the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Scott, a cornerback out of Fairfield, Ohio, recently picked up his second Power Five offer and 12th overall when the Mountaineers and head coach Dana Holgorsen extended a potential scholarship.

Iowa was the first Power Five school to Scott. He received that in late April and WVU followed suit earlier this month. Scott has also received interest from some MAC schools.

“This offer means a lot because Iowa was a top-five team last year, and they play in the Big Ten,” Scott told Scout.com. “Not everybody has the opportunity to play in that conference, let alone Iowa, so it’s a blessing.”

While the Big Ten is intriguing, especially for a guy in the heart of the conference, the Big 12 is emerging as another favorite for players in Ohio. This year, Ohio represented one of the largest states for the West Virginia football recruiting class. The proximity it offers and chance to play teams like Oklahoma and Texas on a regular basis make the Big 12 a fresh fit for prospects in the Buckeye State.

Ohio State is obviously the top dog in Ohio, and it is the class of the Big Ten. West Virginia can own the entire east coast in the Big 12 as it is the only program located in the eastern time zone. The Mountaineers have that advantage to gain close prospects in neighboring states, and Scott could be the next great player for the West Virginia defense.

Recently departed Shaq Petteway, who came from Steubenville, Ohio, is a perfect example of an Ohio prospect coming to the old gold and blue. Petteway had his college choice narrowed down to WVU and Michigan State. He chose the closer school.

Scott may be in a similar position. West Virginia is much closer to Fairfield than Iowa.

If Scott is to choose the Mountaineers next season, he would be able to adopt to defensive coordinator Tony Gibson’s schemes as KJ Dillon, Karl Joseph and Daryl Worley did for the past few seasons. Those guys, drafted by NFL teams last week, will be playing on Sundays quite soon.

It will take Scott much longer to reach that level, but he can have a greater path if he works hard, improves his speed and strength, and ultimately chooses the Mountaineers.