West Virginia football has done a quite efficient job at rebuilding their roster this off-season under incoming head coach Rich Rodriguez.
The Mountaineers have added a large number of players to the roster through the transfer portal and via their incoming freshman class -- they've also lost a large number of players via the transfer portal and roster cuts.
Many of West Virginia's new players will likely contribute in big ways, and many of the players the program lost will also do so at their new homes. But recently, one former WVU player in particular has found himself rated as the top newcomer by ESPN for a program the outlet projects as a Top 25 team.
Hudson Clement started as walk-on at West Virginia and spent three seasons with the program -- the Martinsburg, W.Va native was a Randy Moss Award winner in high school as the top receiver in the state, and had a breakout season for the Mountaineers in 2023 as a redshirt freshman, tallying 22 receptions for 480 yards and four touchdowns and earning a scholarship.
He followed that up with an even better season last year, hauling in 51 receptions for 741 yards and five receiving touchdowns -- he led the team in all three categories. Sadly for WVU fans, he decided to hit the transfer portal and ended up in the Big 10 at Illinois, where the two receivers that combined for over half the Illiini's receptions in 2024 -- Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin -- have moved on from the program.
"Clement will end the season as Illinois' most productive receiver and the top target for [Luke] Altmyer. His upside is extremely high and he's an experienced Power 4 veteran. Clement showed flashes this spring and has a mix of Bryant's and Franklin's traits," ESPN wrote.
"The 6-foot-1, 205 pounder has a nice frame and a savvy feel for navigating zone coverage and finding the soft spots in the second and third levels of the defense. Clement is a very reliable downfield target with excellent hands and body control. His leadership experience in the wide receiver room will be just as important as his play on the field."
Out of all the players leaving West Virginia this off-season, there's a big chance that Clement is the one that the Mountaineers miss the most -- given Rodriguez's concerns in the wide receiver room -- and the one that sees the most success. One thing that's for certain is that Illinois fans are excited to see Clement dressed in orange-and-blue on Saturdays this fall.