WVU Football Beats Out Big Ten Schools for 2026 CB Vincent Smith

After missing out on a couple recent recruits, the WVU football staff hit on one on Thursday. Vincent Smith, a 2026 cornerback, picked West Virginia and the Big 12 over joining either Iowa and Purdue in the Big Ten.

Smith (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) narrowed down his list to a final group that put WVU up against Purdue and Iowa in late June.

A product of Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, Ill., Smith is also considering Iowa and Purdue.

Listed as simply an athlete by some recruiting services, Smith plays multiple sports in high school and is ranked as one of the top 10 prospects in Illinois. He’s even rated as a top 500 player nationally by 247 Sports.

Smith also has Power Four offers from Kentucky, Iowa State and USC. Oddly enough, Illinois did not pull the trigger on extending Smith an offer. Several Group of 5 schools have offered Smith as well.

Smith’s West Virginia offer came on May 7.

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