College Football
WVU Football Awarded Spot in Major Top 25 for 2026 Recruiting Class
They still have to make sure it all translates to the field, but the work put in by the WVU football staff continues to be noticed nationally. ESPN is now the latest major outlet to award Rich Rodriguez and the Mountaineers with a spot on a top 25 list for the 2026 recruiting class.
Below is what ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert had to say about the work put in by Rodriguez and his staff and how it may lead to making WVU football elite again.
“In the golden days of his first stint at West Virginia, Rich Rodriguez turned overlooked three-stars such as Pat White and Steve Slaton into fantastic scheme fits. He’s once again assembling a class that might lack star power but has plenty of depth, particularly at running back. The Mountaineers have picked up commitments from high-three star Tennessee native Christopher Talley, plus a mid-July commitment from SirPaul Cheeks, who has the explosive lateral agility and ball skills to develop into an all-purpose threat. RB Amari Latimer could be the gem of the class with his size and speed at the RB position.
When Rodriguez took over, he needed to patchwork the offensive line. Now he needs to upgrade it. He took a big step in that direction by landing SC Next 300 OT Kevin Brown. The onetime Penn State commit and son of a former Mountaineers OL is a big, flexible player who could be a plug-and-play option.
WVU 2026 signee Matt Sieg during a recruiting visit. (Courtesy of WVU Athletics)
The secondary is also a strength. Matt Sieg, an SC Next 300 safety, is a huge pickup both from a value and need standpoint. West Virginia will lose a lot of experience in the secondary next season, but we think Sieg has the talent to contribute early in Morgantown. West Virginia’s top-ranked CB pledge is corner Vincent Smith, who brings a strong 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame and impressed on the camp circuit with physicality and surprising quickness. The Mountaineers might still seek another quarterback, but the class’s X factor could be athlete Jyron Hughley. The Florida native has work to do as a passer, but his mobility could intrigue Rodriguez in a hybrid role.”
Rodriguez recruited the highest ranked class in WVU football program history on December’s Early National Signing Day. However, despite the national recognition, some have still criticized the class for its massive size (49 players deep), but Rodriguez doesn’t recruit anyone with the intention of only using them as a depth piece.
WVU Football Earns Historically High National Ranks for 2026 Class
When defending his class, mostly made up of three-stars behind a few four-star headliners, Rodriguez said he didn’t sign anyone to be a backup. The West Virginia staff believes every player they recruit can start for the Mountaineers.
“I don’t ever guarantee a guy as soon as you come on campus, you’re going to start,” Rodriguez said. “That wouldn’t be fair to you or the guys on the team. Yet, we don’t recruit anybody to be backups,” he clarified.
“How would we be better if we recruited a guy and said, ‘You’re probably going to be a backup and play in a year or two,’” Rodriguez questioned.
Find more coverage of Rich Rodriguez and WVU football recruiting on WV Sports Now.
For a related story, WV Sports Now compiled a comprehensive list of West Virginia’s entire 2026 class.
