With most of the activity wrapping up in regards to both the transfer portal and the high school signing class for WVU football, we can finally take an early glance at the roster the program is building for the 2026 season.
We've taken a closer look at just who has left the program and who has joined via the transfer portal, as well as who the freshmen and JUCO signees of the 2026 class are. Now, we answer the questions about how this new lineup will look compared to last season. Let's start today with the offense.
Have The West Virginia Mountaineers Improved Their Roster?
Quarterback
The verdict here, at least for the moment, is a cautious better. Scotty Fox Jr. returns after several starts last season for WVU, and he looked better in his appearances for West Virginia than any other quarterback on last year's team. Now he will take that starting experience and another full offseason of preperation into 2026.
WVU also secured an SEC backup with previous starting experience in the portal in Michael Hawkins Jr, and add a dynamic freshmen class bolstered by two state championship winning quarterbacks in Jyron Hughley and John "Hollywood" Johnson.
Running Back
We'll go with better in 2026 than 2025 with this group as well. This is all pending injury luck, of course, because we all thought running back was a strong position starting last season for the Mountaineers. But unless just about everyone gets hurt again, it can't be worse this coming year.
The Mountaineers add the leading FBS rusher in Cam Cook from the transfer portal, signed a prominent four-star prospect in Amari Latimer, and also added one of the best JUCO running backs in the country in Martavious Boswell. There are questions about experience, but there is a ton of potential, and no position may be easier to make an impact as as a young player than running back.
Wide Receiver
This is our first group that feels worse off starting the season, or at least there is a lot of uncertainty inside the room. Losing Cam Vaughn is a major hit, and while Jaden Bray will return once again, his last two seasons have been significantly shortened by injury and his true potential is yet to be seen.
Prince Strachan has a massive athletic frame, Taron Francis is one year removed from being a four-star high school prospect, and players such as DJ Epps and John Neider have been consistent at lower levels of FBS football, but not game-changers. You do have two top JUCO wideouts in the signing class and some promising freshmen entering the program, but nothing proven at this level of football.
Tight End
This is another tough one, but it's hard to compare the high school and transfer additions to what the Mountaineers lose in Grayson Barnes and Jacob Barrick. Transfer additions Josh Sapp and Cam Ball have little significant production, and the Mountaineers certainly lose significant production in the room.
Offensive Line
This one is definitely an improvement from last season, and I don't think we need to see much on-field action to determine that. It would be hard to imagine things getting worse than in 2025 in the trenches for WVU, and the program went all out this offseason.
The Mountaineers and Rich Rodriguez reunited with veteran line coach Rick Trickett, and they added two All-Sun Belt linemen, a starting Big 12 guard, and two more FBS starters in the portal. Not to mention the Mountaineers landed a Top 10 offensive tackle prospect from their high school class in Kevin Brown. Things should be better for West Virginia.