WVU football loses multiple key players to Power 4 competition in transfer portal

The West Virginia Mountaineers have seen an exodus of over 40 players into the transfer portal this offseason, and while many have yet to find homes, and others have stepped down a level in competition, five former WVU football players from last year's squad will be suiting up for a new Power 4 team this fall.

The player with perhaps the most high-profile destination is Cam Vaughn, who followed head coach Rich Rodriguez from Jacksonville State and led the Mountaineers with 540 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 2025. Vaughn has committed to the Miami Hurricanes, who just advanced to the College Football Playoff Championship against Indiana with the help of another former Mountaineer is defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor.

WVU is also losing another wide receiver in Rodney Gallagher III, who will transfer inside the Big 12 to Arizona. Gallagher III spent his first three seasons with the Mountaineers, and finished his WVU stint as a multi-season starter with 605 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He also added 221 rushing yards.

Another starter departing the program is defensive tackle Hammond Russell IV, who started multiple games on the defensive line in 2025 and made 36 career appearances for WVU. Russell has commited to the Wisconsin Badgers of the Big Ten. He finishes his five-season stint with the Mountaineers with 40 tackles (6.5 TFLs) and 5.5 sacks.

The Mountaineers also saw two more key pieces of their defensive rotation enter the portal and commit to Power 4 competition. Linebacker Ben Bogle, who transferred to West Virginia last season from Southern Illinois, has inked a deal with the Arkansas Razorbacks of the SEC. Bogle recorded 37 tackles (5 TFLs) and three sacks during his time with the Mountaineers.

Safety Chris Fileppo, meanwhile, will he headed to Penn State after a true freshmen season which saw him start one game and record 12 total tackles.