Early Commits Have 2021 Recruiting Class Looking Strong for Brown and WVU

Back in March the NCAA announced a Mandatory dead period for in-person recruiting for all sports that would run through at least April 15.

Coaches would have to utilize technology and keep in contact with potential recruits electronically. You might think that could be a problem for older, technology adverse coaches but the restrictions have done little to slow down WVU football head coach Neal Brown.

One of the younger power five football head coaches, Brown and the Mountaineers have picked up three verbal commits in the past two weeks, bringing their 2021 total to seven.

That seven-person class includes two four-star prospects and five three-stars and is ranked as one of the best in the nation right now. 247Sports ranks WVU’s class at 18 right now and rivals has the Mountaineers at 19. Both also have WVU’s class as the second-best in the Big 12, behind Texas.

After a successful first recruiting class at West Virginia, Brown looks to be outdoing himself this year.

The Mountaineers’ most recent commit was four-star running back Jaylen Anderson from Ohio. Anderson announced his commitment to WVU on Thursday and is rated as one of the best running back prospects in the 2021 class. rivals has Anderson as the No. 11 running back in the class and 247 has him at 14.

Anderson is the second four-star prospect committed in WVU’s 2021 class, joining in-state tackle Wyatt Millum. Millum, the second-best prospect in West Virginia, committed to WVU in March. The Huntington native is the 13th best offensive tackle in the class according to 247.

Also committing recently were three-star prospects defensive end Hammond Russell and quarterback Will Crowder. Russell is a top-50 defensive end in the class and Crowder is rated as a top-20 pro-style quarterback.

Earlier this year WVU picked up commitments from safety Sain McLeod and receiver Andrew Wilson-Lamp. Wilson-Lamp, another Ohioan, committed on Jan. 27 and is rated as a three-star receiver. McLeod committed a few days later on Feb. 1 and is a three-star safety.

The first recruit to commit to in the class was Swedish tight end Victor Wikstrom back on July 11, 2019. Wilkstrom is rated as the No. 35 tight end in the class by 247. Wilkstrom seems as excited as any recruit in recent memory to get to WVU, routinely posting workout videos on Twitter and tagging the WVU coaching staff.

Feeling pretty dangerous with my new haircut @WVUfootball @CoachTTrickett @NealBrown_WVU pic.twitter.com/d2JEWePM6z

— victor wikström (@victor_wikstrom) April 16, 2020