WVU football has been chasing after a highly sought-after offensive line prospect with ties to the program, and on Sunday they got one step closer to landing him.
The Mountaineers are in hot pursuit of 2026 offensive tackle Kevin Brown. Brown, a Harrisburg, Pa. native, is ranked as a four-star prospect according to the 247Sports composite rankings, and is the second-best overall prospect in Pennsylvania and sixth-best offensive tackle recruit in his class. Brown had initially been recruited to Penn State, but reopened his recruitment after James Franklin was fired by the Nittany Lions earlier this season.
Brown has been flirting with other programs, with the trio of West Virginia, Ohio State, and North Carolina appearing to lead the way. It will also be worth keeping an eye on wherever Franklin rands (rumors are heating up about Virginia Tech), and Brian Dohn of 247Sports reported today that several 2026 prospects are willing to give him an official visit regardless of his new home.
But Brown was still officially keeping his commitment to Penn State while they searched for a coach. But that ended on Sunday, as Brown officially decommitted from the Nittany Lions, according to Hayes Fawcett of Rivals. In addition, the news broke from Rivals' Steve Wiltfong that Brown would make his announcement this week live on The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN, hosted by WVU Hall of Famer Pat McAfee, Wiltfong also officially predicted Brown will land with the Mountaineers.
BREAKING: Four-Star IOL Kevin Brown has Decommitted from Penn State, he tells me for @rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) November 16, 2025
The 6’5 285 IOL from Harrisburg, PA was the highest-ranked recruit in Penn State’s 2026 Class
He’s the No. 3 IOL in the ‘26 Class (per Rivals)https://t.co/B2drgEV9KF pic.twitter.com/5sBb9w859s
After decommitting from Penn State on Sunday, Harrisburg (Pa.) High blue-chip OL Kevin Brown says he'll commit this on the Pat McAfee Show: https://t.co/jAhc1GvigP pic.twitter.com/KIq2Bj2R75
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) November 16, 2025
Brown is a legacy prospect for WVU, as his father Tim Brown played for the Mountaineers and Rich Rodriguez during his collegiate career before spending time with the Pittsburgh Steelers at the NFL level.
Brown has already teased a flip to the Mountaineers, donning a pair of gloves with a flying WV logo during a playoff game for his high school team and later posting a picture on social media prominently flashing the glove at the screen with a cryptic quote indicating interest in the Mountaineers.