Ever since the news of Rich Rodriguez would be returning to West Virginia, he has hit the ground running, recruiting talent both in the transfer portal and recruiting high school prospects.
Offensive tackle Ayden Bussell, edge rusher Devin Grant, wide receiver Logan Ramper, and defensive lineman Elijah Simmons were four of the later additions to the program during May. Let’s take a look at how these four transfers can improve the 2025 WVU football team.
Ayden Bussell
Rodriguez has been very active in seeking out offensive linemen in the portal. The Mountaineers added 11 offensive line transfers this offseason between the winter and spring portal windows.
One of the last names to be added was Ayden Bussell, a Tennessee transfer. The former Volunteer is ajust a redshirt sophomore with three years left to play -- he will now likely be expected to shore up depth along the offensive line, but with Rodriguez's concerns during spring practices regarding the unit's experience, it seems that anyone could win a starting job once the competition starts in fall camp.
Bussell joins an overcrowded offensive line room already. With 22 offensive linemen set for the roster this fall, there will be some great competition for reps among the unit. Rodriguez has made it clear he will not play around with performance issues up front in the trenches.
Bussell, with his SEC experience, will hopefully bring some leadership and guidance to the room despite his younger age. As a former SEC player, Bussell can help bring some knowledge on how to prepare for and compete against top teams and elite players to a group that doesn't have a ton of that experience.
Devin Grant
Almost no college team will turn down extra depth in the trenches up front on either side of the ball. That is exactly what Devin Grant will bring to this Mountaineer team -- he more than likely will not be a starter, but he could earn snaps as a rotation piece up front in a Zac Alley-led defense.
According to 247Sports, Grant is listed at 6’3” and around 225 pounds Grant also brings Division 1 experience to this Mountaineer program, having spent time at the power conference level at Colorado earlier in his career before getting significant in-game experience at the FCS level with Incarnate Word -- he tallied 43 tackles (16.5 TFLs) in two seasons with the Cardinals
His time with Colorado is likely most intriguing to WVU, and Grant made 15 appearances where he totaled 28 tackles (5 TFLs) for the Buffs. Grant has shown that he can contribute as a rotational piece within a power conference defense before, and the Mountaineers hope he can again.
Logan Ramper
Transferring from Division 2 program Slippery Rock (PA), Logan Ramper will join another crowded room on the roster. Currently, there are 14 wide receivers set to suit up for WVU this fall. Ramper had a standout season at The Rock in 2024, hauling in 42 receptions for 748 yards and eight touchdowns, and averaging 17.8 yards per catch -- which included a clutch performance in the NCAA Division Playoff semifinals, where he caught eight passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns
The former Division 2 player is easily one of the biggest frames on the roster for wide receivers. At 6’4” and 215 pounds, the Slippery Rock transfer could be a wildcard in the red zone or short-yardage situations.
Ramper will give whoever earns the starting nod at quarterback a big body target with a big catch radius. Could Coach Rodriguez install certain plays or sets that will see Ramper get opportunities based on his physical stature? It will be exciting to see how Rodriguez plans to use this receiver.
Elijah Simmons
Elijah Simmons joins the Mountaineers at the defensive tackle position after a stint at the JUCO level, which followed him beginning his career at the Division 1 level with Kent State.
He will more than likely be only a piece of depth for Zac Alley’s defense, with several veteran interior defensive linemen already returning and Simmons still having two seasons to play. That will likely leave very few snaps for Simmons to have an opportunity to make an impact in the trenches on defense.
That being said, few programs in college football do not appreciate more defensive line depth whenever possible, and that leaves a possibility for player like Simmons to find a consistent role as a depth piece.
Transferring from Garden City Community College, Simmons is listed at 6’2 and 280 pounds and racked up 21 tackles (5.5 TFLs) in 2024.