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WVU Football Recruiting Analysis: A Closer Look at 2026 RB Commit Christopher Talley

3-star prospect Christopher Talley is one of several key backfield commitments in the Mountaineers' 2026 recruiting class.
ByDylan Pauley|
Feb 19, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head football coach Rich Rodriguez speaks to the crowd during a timeout during the first half against the Cincinnati Bearcats at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images
Feb 19, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head football coach Rich Rodriguez speaks to the crowd during a timeout during the first half against the Cincinnati Bearcats at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

The 2026 recruiting class will be the first full recruiting class for WVU football that Rich Rodriguez and his staff have built from top-to-bottom since returning to his alma mater. The Mountaineers have already nabbed a ton of commitments in the class that have the potential to become future stars in Morgantown.

One area where the 2026 class is coming together quite impressively is in the running back room. One big piece of that puzzle announced his intent to join the program earlier this month on July 4, as Christopher Talley from Memphis, Tennessee, announced his commitment to WVU. Talley is a class of 2026 three-star prospect from Whitehaven High School who possesses next-level speed and agility, which might not be reflected in his ratings from various recruiting services.

WVU landed Talley earlier this month after beating out at least 15 other schools that offered the Memphis native. Talley is a great addition to the Class of 2026, giving Rodriguez the type of speedster back that he gets fired up about.

According to Rivals, Talley is the 18th-ranked recruit out of Tennessee in 2026 and the 33rd-ranked running back in the nation. Talley pops out on film as a running back that can reach top-end speed quite quickly, which should bode well for his future with the Mountaineers. After all, Rodriguez is known for turning speedy tailbacks into one of the focal points of his famed rushing attacks.

Talley will be partnered with a pair of Class of 2026 running back commits for WVU, as he will be joining SirPaul Cheeks and Jett Walker in the backfield. In a Rodriguez-led offense, a good group of running backs is very important. Adding a prospect like Talley to go alongside Cheeks and Walker, Rodriguez can sleep a little easier at night knowing he has a group of potential standouts coming into Morgantown for the 2026 season.

WVU football fans have to be pleased with the addition of Talley to the running back room, and should be excited to follow along as Rodriguez looks to continue to add to his 2026 class with other playmakers on both sides of the ball.

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