Veteran D-Lineman Hammond Russell IV | WVU Football All 105

All 105 is a West Virginia Sports Now series profiling each member of the 2025 WVU Football Roster.

Billed as a three-star recruit in high school,  redshirt senior Hammond Russell IV has earned a gradual increase in playing time over the course of four seasons in a Mountaineers uniform. The 6-foot-3, 312 pound defensive end played roughly half of the Mountaineers’ defensive snaps in 2024, coming off the bench as a reserve.

Russell picked up three sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss last season. Of the 15 defensive linemen on the roster besides Russell, ten are new faces: either incoming freshmen or transfers from the lower levels of the sport like Adam Tomczyk (Cerritos College) or Devin Grant (Incarnate Word). As such, Russell should have an excellent opportunity to build on his three-star ranking and put the finishing touches on his Mountaineers career.

99 • Hammond Russell IV, redshirt senior defensive line

Last year: Russell played 325 defensive snaps in 2024, rotating onto the field roughly half the time.

Stats: 17 tackles, three sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss last season.

Camp outlook: As one of the most experienced members of the defensive line room, Russell could provide the team with stability heading into a new era of Mountaineers football.

Projected role: Expect Russell to earn major playing time once again in 2025, whether in a rotational capacity or as a starter.

Accolades, highlights: A three-star recruit in high school, Russell earned first team all-state honors in his native Ohio.