WPIAL 2026 LB Star Colsen Gatten Places WVU Firmly in His Top 5

WVU is in the mix for a star linebacker from a prestigious program within the nearby WPIAL in Western Pennsylvania. The 2025 Central Catholic High School football team is loaded with Power 4 talent like Colsen Gatten, who is considering making the short trip south for college.

While other players on Central’s roster might receive more headlines, when it comes to real interest from major programs, Gatten garners as much as anyone. And Gatten told WV Sports Now’s partner Pittsburgh Sports Now that West Virginia is one of his current top five schools.

Currently, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound middle linebacker is a consensus three-star recruit from all the national recruiting services and holds 25+ offers. Gatten’s list of Power 4 offers include Arizona, Boston College, California, Cincinnati, Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State, Pitt, SMU, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

As we approach official visit season, Gatten has started the process of narrowing down that long list of offers.

The rest of Gatten’s top schools are Duke, Indiana, Oklahoma, Pitt, pitting the two Backyard Brawl rivals against each other for another WPIAL prospect.

Find more coverage of WVU football recruiting at WV Sports Now.