WVU football is set to get back to action with preseason practices this week, but there will be a lot of new and unfamiliar faces for Mountaineer fans.
Rich Rodriguez enters the first season of his second stint as head coach at WVU, and he has overseen a massive roster transformation. A large number of players exited the program due to a variety of factors, and Rodriguez and his staff have worked hard to replace them via additions throuhg the transfer portal.
Not everyone who has joined the program will likely find themselves satisfied with their role come the regular season, including some will have eligibility remaining at the collegiate level. Looking at the preseason roster, here are the WVU players we predict will be the most likely find themselves at another program come the 2026 season.
Max Brown
Max Brown has played collegiate football at the Power 4 level with Florida and at the Group of 5 level with Charlotte. WVU will be his third landing spot at the FBS level, but it might not be his last.
During the 2025 Gold-Blue Spring Showcase, Brown took third-string reps behind the returning redshirt junior Nicco Marchiol and redshirt senior transfer Jaylen Henderson. There have also been rumors emerging from Morgantown that freshman Scotty Fox has already made a big impression. Brown did look impressive with his legs during the Spring Showcase, but he didn't seem to emerge from spring ball in a position that bodes well for a bright future in Morgantown.
Clay Ash
Clay Ash initially seemed like a future star for the Mountaineers. He enrolled early as a recruit and made a strong impression during the team's 2024 Spring Game, appeared in 10 games in 2024, and won the Tommy Nickolich Award for as the program's top walk-on during 2025 spring practices.
But he was only getting fourth-string reps during the 2025 Spring Showcase, and Diore Hubbard and Jahiem White (who were ahead of him) have eligibility remaining after 2025. The Mountaineers also added three more running backs after spring practices, with two of those players (Kannon Katzer, Cyncir Bowers) also have eligibility left after this season. It's a crowded room for a walk-on struggling stand out.
Corey McIntyre Jr.
Corey McIntyre Jr. plays defensive tackle, and is the son of a former WVU standout who proceeded to have a successful NFL career. He was widely viewed as a potential star in the making upon his arrival. He redshirted his freshman season in 2023, but appeared in four games during the campaign. But in 2024, despite an injury to starter Edward Vesterinen, he didn't see any playing time.
McIntyre is back again this season, but he there isn't a ton of buzz around his name. And the Mountaineers also have added seven new defensive lineman between transfers, JUCO prospects, and incoming freshmen. In a similar situation to Ash, he is dealing with a crowded room and struggling to stand out.