After former head coach Darian DeVries left Morgantown for Bloomington, all three puzzle pieces of West Virginia's Class of 2025 decommitted from the program. But one of those athletes might not be a lost cause yet for the Mountaineers.
4-star Class of 2025 recruit Braydon Hawthorne originally committed to the Mountaineers last fall, but requested a release from his letter of intent in March following DeVries' departure.
However, unlike the program's other two commits that re-opened their recruitment following the coaching change, Hawthorne is a is a West Virginia native -- he is originally from Beckley and started his career at Woodrow Wilson High School before transferring to in-state national powerhouse Huntington Prep.
The in-state ties for Hawthorne opened hope that he might re-consider WVU's new coaching staff, and good news broke on Saturday on that front -- Travis Branham with 247Sports reported that Hawthorne is currently on a visit in Morgantown with Ross Hodge.
2025 four-star SF Braydon Hawthorne is currently on a visit meeting with the new West Virginia staff and will take a visit to Kentucky on Wednesday, his father tells @247Sports.
— Travis Branham (@TravisBranham_) April 12, 2025
He is also in talks about taking visits to Virginia Tech and Michigan. https://t.co/gEUt8Etzuw https://t.co/DNG5Ho4SYq
Hawthorne still has other options on the table -- the report also mentions a planned visit with Kentucky this upcoming week and talks regarding setting up trips to Virginia Tech and Michigan, as well. But the news does bold well for those hoping the Mountaineers might still be in play.
Hawthorne is one of the fastest-rising prospects in the Class of 2025, jumping from outside the Top 150 to No. 71 on the official recruiting rankings from 247Sports, and also moving into the Top 50 Class of 2025 prospects nationally as ranked by On3.