Steve Slaton, Running Back – Jersey No. 10 (2005-2007)
Steve Slaton was a 3-star athlete (Rivals.com) out of Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania who didn’t have many offers coming out of high school. A recurring theme for many players who get to Morgantown, and it holds true for Slaton; he had to prove himself.
A Rich Rodriguez-offense was the perfect fit for the speedster, as he knew how to get the most out of his players. Paired with a quarterback we’ll later mention and a fullback like Owen Schmitt, Slaton had everything working in his favor.
As a freshman, he rushed for 1,128 yards and 17 touchdowns, while hauling in 12 passes for 95 yards and two scores. Not bad for a kid whose only offers were from WVU, North Carolina and Rutgers.
He exploded for 1,744 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns his sophomore year, and improved in the passing game with 27 catches for 360 yards and two scores.
For his career, Slaton totaled 4,728 all-purpose (rushing and receiving) yards and 55 touchdowns. He holds the single-season rushing record (1,744 yards), has the most career rushing touchdowns (50) and is tied for first for the single-game touchdown record (5) in West Virginia football history. Slaton was picked in the 3rd round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans.