Players West Virginia Football Lost to the Transfer Portal in 2022

With so much uncertainty surrounding the West Virginia program, every day that goes by could include a major decision being made or a player deciding to transfer. And now with one of the worst seasons for WVU in awhile winding down and questions looming over the future of an historic program that seen much better days, it’s necessary to keep track of players that have decided to leave in order to properly gauge what the roster will look like come kickoff of the 2023 season.

Charles Woods

The biggest name to decide to transfer by far, Charles Woods stirred up some chaos on the day of WVU’s final home game by announcing his decision an hour before kickoff on social media. Head coach Neal Brown then took it upon himself to accuse Woods of “shutting it down” in the weeks leading up to the veteran cornerback coming to the realization that he would be best served to spend his final year of eligibility elsewhere. Woods earned an extra season due to an injury plagued 2022. He could’ve decided to return to WVU, but he will transfer instead.

Woods did offer an expiation to Mountaineer Nation the day after his decision sent shock waves across the program.

Charles Woods Opens Up About Decision to Leave West Virginia, Finish College Career Elsewhere

Saint McLeod

The biggest news of a player transferring out of WVU came in September when news hit that Saint McLeod was exiting West Virginia as the team was preparing for the new season. McLeod, who had been a victim of a stabbing, had been away from the team for an extended period of time prior to his decision becoming official. He finished with 22 tackles in two games in 2021.

Corbin Page

West Virginia native Corbin Page announced that he is leaving WVU and entering the portal with four years left of eligibility. He never saw the field this season, but the door could have been opened some with Mike O’Laughlin suffering a third ACL that ended his season early.

Mumu Bin-Wahbad

Freshman defensive back Mumu Bin-Wahad has announced that he will enter the transfer portal. Bin-Wahad is a former three-star prospect. He appeared in five games during the 2021 season and his last appearance as a Mountaineer came in one of the worst performances of the season for the defense against Texas Tech.

Lyn-J Dixon

While this news did not impact this season and involved a player waffling all over the place, it is also worth noting Lyn-J Dixon did transfer out of WVU before ever playing for the Mountaineers. He transferred to WVU from Clemson about a year ago after losing favor as a Tiger. He then decided to transfer to Tennessee four months ago following being dismissed from the team.

Dixon committed to Clemson in 2018 and in three years with the Tigers, Dixon rushed 218 times for 1,420 yards and 13 touchdowns.

DL Akheem Mesidor

The defensive star bolting for Miami and dragging Morgantown through the mud in the process didn’t set a positive tone for the coming season and became an evident problem on the field.

QB Jarret Doege

Doege put up numbers, but also made critical mistakes and didn’t seem to progress in 2021. His transfer was different than the others and more of a divorce.

Other players to enter the portal under Brown

• OL Parker Moorer
• WR Isaiah Esdale
• WR Sean Ryan
• WR Winston Wright Jr.
• WR Sam Brown
• TE TJ Banks
• OL John Hughes
• TE Charles Finley
• DL Tavis Lee
• LB James Thomas
• DL Darel Middleton
• LB Devell Washington
• DE Eddie Watkins
• LB Josh Chandler-Semedo
• LB VanDarius Cowan
• CB Nicktroy Fortune
• CB Daryl Porter Jr.
• CB Jackie Matthews
• S Kerry Martin
• LS JP Hadley

This just speaks to what’s gone on from before the season started to this point and does not factor in players who transferred from WVU in past years under Brown. Obviously every transfer is its own unique situation, and looking at departing players only focuses on one side of the transfer portal era.

WVU did add players as well, most notably former high prospect quarterback JT Daniels. Unfortunately for the Mountaineers, Daniels did not end up impacting the team how they hoped and sophomore Garrett Greene eventually claimed the starting job.

Until a new athletic director is hired and there’s a resolution to where or not Brown and his staff will be back, this list could grow.