The West Virginia Mountaineers made some massive moves on the recruiting trail this past offseason, but none of them seem to have paid off quite as well as signing former 4-star offensive tackle Kevin Brown.
Brown quickly established himself as one of the top offensive linemen on the team, securing a starting role at left tackle in a room filled with veterans. He has started all seven games for the Mountaineers this season, and has posted an above-average Pro Football Focus offensive grade (65.3) and run blocking grade (68.3).
On Wednesday, his contributions were recognized as one of the best freshman performances in the country, as Brown was named to the On3 Midseason True Freshman All-America Team.
More recognition for WVU true freshman OT Kevin Brown. https://t.co/BNAqIRde8C
— Spencer Ripchik (@RipchikSpencer) October 21, 2026
WVU football must retain Kevin Brown headed into next season
The West Virginia Mountaineers will have to start prioritizing which players they want to retain next season, and the offense is obviously going to have more players that the Mountaineers want to bring back. Obviously, Mike Hawkins Jr. is going to be at the top of that list, but keeping a consistent offensive line together is critical to any offensive success.
And it's hard to argue that Brown shouldn't be the top player on the list along that offensive line. He might not be the best player yet, but he still has four years of eligibility remaining, and at least two years before he can head off to the NFL. He plays left tackle, which is arguably one of the two most important positions along the offensive line.
And if he's already playing well enough to be judged as a Freshman All-American and to grade out as an above-average offensive lineman through just seven college games, imagine how good he will continue to get with more experience?
Rumors indicate that he may be one of the freshmen signed to a two-year NIL/revenue share deal, but it's hard to tell how much legal weight those carry in college football. So the Mountaineers should be prepared to head to the negotiating table and meet whatever demands Brown has, given how good he has looked so far.
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