Where WVU Could Go With Remaining 2020 Scholarships

After signing 18 players to their roster during the early signing period, the West Virginia Mountaineers still have open slots to fill in the Class of 2020 and that work will get started on Friday as the dead period ends and coaches can being to talk to players.

As it currently stands, the Mountaineers have seven open scholarships remaining in the Class of 2020. If Jacob Gamble, a junior college offensive lineman and verbal commit to WVU, signs with the Mountaineers in February, that number drops to six.

WVU Football Scholarship Tracker

Those remaining scholarships can go to either incoming freshmen or transfers, and at a number of positions.

After running back Martell Pettaway announced that he was entering the transfer portal, West Virginia was left with only three players on scholarship at the position: juniors Leddie Brown and Alec Sinkfield and redshirt freshman Tony Mathis.

Initially, that spot was to be filled by Lamy Constant, a four-star recruit from Brooklyn, New York. Having verbally committed to WVU on Nov. 12, Constant didn’t even last one month before decommitting on Dec. 8. He has yet to sign with any program.

With just three used scholarships, running back could be a position where West Virginia looks to add multiple athletes. Tight end and fullback, where there are just a combined four scholarships, are also areas that could use attention.

Defensively, West Virginia could look to add depth on the defensive line and amongst the linebacker corps.

Having signed defensive tackle Quay Mays and defensive ends Sean Martin and Akheem Mesidor, the Mountaineers currently have 10 players on the defensive line. However, one good season could drastically bring that number down.

With the addition of Mays, a junior college transfer, six of the 10 would be eligible for the 2021 NFL Draft. Only three players are in their second collegiate year or fewer.

In order to play defensive coordinator Vic Koenning’s Bandit position, West Virginia signed linebackers Taurus Simmons and Lanell Carr in December. Along with redshirt freshman Jared Bartlett, the Mountaineers now have only three linebackers that are below junior eligibility.

With quarterback Garrett Greene in the fold having already signed in December, quarterback is probably not a priority for West Virginia at the moment.

The NCAA’s National Signing Day is Feb. 5.