The West Virginia Mountaineers have secured another commitment in their 2026 recruiting class -- one that wasn't on their radar until this past month.
Dexter Southfield (Mass.) prospect Charlie Hanafin announced on Friday night that he has committed to WVU football. He recently attended one of the program's summer camp sessions in Morgantown, where he snagged some impressive catches and made enough of an impact on the coaching staff to walk away with a scholarship offer.
Hanafin made the announcement on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, thanking the coaching staff that "made it feel like home." Hanafin was also looking at offers from in-state ACC program Boston College, as well as numerous FCS offers.
COMMITTED‼️Huge thank you to @RealCoachRod, @CoachTTrickett, @CoachRGarrett, @CoachBradleyWVU and everyone @WVUfootball that made it feel like home! #HardEdge #TakeMeHome26 #Committed @CoachCDay @mboyle1959 @speedcoachDB pic.twitter.com/YtwnWGRSVC
— Charlie Hanafin (@CHanafin15) June 20, 2025
Hanafin's most impressive moment during his recent camp appearance at WVU came when the attendees were in the midst of a 1-on-1 competition between the wide receivers and defensive backs, with the score tied 9-9. When asked by Rich Rodriguez to bring out the best player on each side for one final 1-on-1 drill to determine the winner, wide receivers coach Ryan Garrett went to Hanafin -- who high-pointed the ball in mid-air over the top of his defender and pulled down the winning catch.
Hanafin told Rivals after being offered by the Mountaineers that his goal was to "come out and compete." He walked into with just one other FBS offer, and walked away with the attention of one of the winningest active coaches at the FBS level.
WRvDB is tied 9-9. "Get your best. " Ryan Garrett turns to Charlie Hanafin (@CHanafin15) and.... pic.twitter.com/hDGq7rmB8c
— Chris Anderson (@CMAnderson247) June 6, 2025
"Coach Rodriguez told me multiple times through the day that he loves my competitiveness and athleticism. It was awesome to have him out on the field with us,” he said.
“I’m proud of the fact that I came into today relatively unknown and earned a scholarship offer. I really appreciate that they recognized my athleticism and competitiveness."