2024 DL Prospect Ready to Bet on Himself, Commits to WVU Football as PWO

After a year-long journey that included recovering from an injury and trying to get noticed, defensive line prospect Zyrir Daniel is ready to commit to the WVU football program.

While he is only committing as a PWO (preferred walk-on), Daniel tells WV Sports Now that he is willing to fully bet on himself and buy into West Virginia’s climb.

#HailWVU 🏔️@WVUfootball @CoachJaxDL @CoachTylerAllen @Coach_Ander5on @JoeMento pic.twitter.com/LUcf7PTMTh

— Zyir Daniel (@ZyirDaniel) January 3, 2024

Daniel (6-foot-1, 250 pounds) is a class of 2024 product out of St. Thomas More in Connecticut. He’s considered a defensive end by most major recruiting outlets.

Daniel has continuously reached out to WV Sports Now throughout his entire recruitment, informing us of his visits and providing details about conversations he’s had with coaches.

“I learned a lot. They had us meet the strength and conditioning coach and showed us all the new technology they use to improve performance, which blew my mind. Also, I met with the nutritionist. The cool part is how they have cooking classes, which I will need down the line. I love the fact that the program’s GPA is over 3.0 with 100 percent graduation class for 5 years straight!,” Daniel once told WVSN about his experience at the WVU football facility.

“I spoke with Coach (Andrew) Jackson and Coach (ShaDon) Brown for a long time. Coach Jackson educated me a lot about the football program. Coach Brown spoke a lot about the 5th quarter program, which really excites me. I see how they put you in a position to succeed right after football,” said Daniel about what he learned about the West Virginia program from coaches.

2024 DL Prospect Zyir Daniel Taking Advice from WVU Coaches to Heart

When WVSN asked Daniel for his own honest evaluation of his game to this point, his description of what type of player he is sounds a lot like what teams want in edge rushers. It also comes with an understanding that he can still improve and the right coaches could help him reach another level. “I am very explosive with great footwork. I have good hands and have an arsenal of moves. I am a hard worker, coachable and eager to learn and improve every day,” said Daniel.

In addition to staying in contact with WVU, Daniel spent time visiting and getting to know coached at Boston College, Buffalo, Maryland, Penn State, Pitt, Syracuse and Virginia Tech to varying degrees.

Daniel knows nothing is guaranteed as a PWO commit, but he may also benefit from a constant need of depth within the defense line.