WVU Football
Braden Siders Transitioning to Bandit | WVU Football All 105
All 105 is a West Virginia Sports Now series profiling each member of the 2025 WVU Football Roster.
Braden Siders began his college football career with five seasons at Wyoming, preserving one final season of eligibility as a result of the COVID-altered 2020 season. While the 6-foot-2, 238 pound athlete spent his time with the Cowboys as a defensive end, the Mountaineers have a different vision for him.
Siders will play at bandit, a hybrid position that combines qualities of a weakside linebacker and a box safety, giving him the opportunity to rush the passer, drop back into coverage, and generally lend new defensive coordinator Zac Alley a helping hand through disguising what the Mountaineers’ defense plans on doing.
Switching to a new defensive scheme — not to mention a new position — could provide a challenge for Siders, but he has plenty of experience to help him along the way.
10 • Braden Siders, redshirt senior bandit
Last year: Siders played defensive end at Wyoming, starting seven games.
Stats: 91 tackles, 14 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss in 32 games (25 starts) with the Cowboys.
Camp outlook: Siders’ new position has some overlap with defensive end. He’ll still have opportunities to rush the passer, but the team will likely also expect him to drop into coverage.
Projected role: Assuming a smooth transition to bandit, Siders should have a good shot at the No. 1 spot as a redshirt senior.
Accolades, highlights: Siders’ pass rushing upside makes him an intriguing choice at the versatile position.
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