Will Hard Work Pay Off for West Virginia Staff in Long Pursuit of 2025 WR AnaTay Smith?

Will WVU’s hard work in recruiting AnaTay Smith pay off? Well, even though he’s not ready to reveal a commitment date just yet, Smith did hint that West Virginia may be the favorite to eventually land the Florida wide receiver.

On Monday, Smith (5-foot-11, 173 pounds) cut his list of top schools down to a final four. Smith will decide if he’s going to travel up north and play in the Big 12, stay in Florida and attend FAU or end up at either Massachusetts or Western Kentucky.

Something West Virginia fans should appreciate, Smith dropped Pitt from contention with his new list.

WV Sports Now has talked with Smith multiple times throughout the past year and reached out again after learning the Mountaineers are still very much in play.

Smith’s comments make it sound as if WVU is the leading candidate. He cited the rich history of the West Virginia program and the relationship the coaching has with Florida players. “The legacy of guys in the NFL, it’s a no brainer to consider them a strong candidate,” added Smith about WVU.

WVU wide receivers coach Bilal Marshall has been leading the charge to acquire Smith.

Why AnaTay Smith and WVU Make Sense

“Big 12 school, very good fan base, lots of south Florida players have gone there,” said Smith about his perception of the WVU program. So not only do the Mountaineers have a coach with Florida roots, but the history of quality players becoming stars in West Virginia is once again evident as helpful in recruiting a state widely regarded as a hotbed for high school athletes.

As far as what type of player WVU would be getting in Smith, he describes himself as having the whole package. “I’ve got the whole package. I can play both sides of the ball and will go 100% for four quarters,” he said.

It even sounds like the type of offense Smith prefers he could find in West Virginia. “I love an offense that is balanced that can use play action for an advantage to take shots down the field,” said Smith.

Click here for the rest of WV Sports Now’s coverage of WVU football recruiting.