The 2026 NFL Draft came and went without a single WVU football player hearing his name called. In a lot of ways, that's unsurprising – it reflects the disappointing 4-8 finish to the season in Rich Rodriguez's first season back in charge of the program.
But in other ways, that fact does come as a bit of a shock, because fans have come to expect a program that produces NFL talent. Maybe not any more so than some of the top programs in the country, but since the turn of the century, the West Virginia Mountaineers have seen at least one player drafted in 22 different years – 2001, 2002, 2007, 2022, and 2026 being the five exceptions.
Having NFL talent on the team helps bolster chances of a successful season, and the expectations in Morgantown are that fans will see at least a few of their favorites get a shot in the league. So the expectations must be that the Mountaineers can send at least one player to the 2027 NFL Draft. Does Rodriguez have that on his roster?
Cam Cook
The Mountaineers might not have a ton of NFL Draft level talent on the roster, or at least not talent that will be eligible next season – freshmen players such as Kevin Brown, Matt Sieg, and Amari Latimer certainly have the potential to get to the league, but won't be eligible until after their junior season. But in running back Cam Cook, they likely have themselves a future pick.
Cook is currently projected as a seventh-round selection, but that's a strong base to build off. Cook transferred in this offseason after leading the FBS in rushing yards at Jacksonville State in 2025. He has already been tabbed a Preseason All-American, and if he can live up to those expectations, he'll likely have built himself a case to be drafted even higher.
Jaden Bray
We're not done yet. Bray has received rave reviews from two different coaching staffs at West Virginia now, but was sidelined two seasons in a row due to injury. We've yet to really get an opportunity to see what he can do when he's healthy and has an entire season in front of him.
Bray is projected as a fifth-round draft selection currently, but seemed to be going under-the-radar as a draft pick until late June. Perhaps scouts have seen or heard something West Virginia fans haven't? This one feels like a bigger gamble due to his injury history relative recent introduction to draft talks – but if he finally has his breakout season, he has all the intangibles to make the league.
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