WVU Football Considered Favorite to Acquire Former SEC Starter

On the eve of a new WVU football season, multiple national reporters have the Mountaineers as the favorite to land a potential impact player.

According to both On3 Sports and CBS Sports, West Virginia is expected to acquire former Georgia defensive back JaCorey Thomas. While Thomas did take part in an NFL rookie mini camp with the Carolina Panthers, he’s among the players with a TRO to be able to return to college to play an extra season of college football, and it appears he wants to do so for Rich Rodriguez in West Virginia.

It should be noted Thomas did not sign a professional contract, which does differentiate him from those who have and are attempting to revert back to college football after failing to make a main roster in the NFL.

As a player, Thomas recorded 45 total tackles and one for a loss and a sack with the Bulldogs in 2025.

This does come after Rodriguez recently labeled once professional players playing in college sports “ridiculous” and advocated for a Big 12 ban even prior to conference announcing their new rules on the topic. He did also say they aren’t pursuing NFL rosters, but would leave a roster spot open for an addition of some kind.

“We still have a spot or two. We had a school tryout, and we still have a spot, maybe to bring a guy in of the guys that have tried out. We may do that. We’re kind of waiting to get through this week before we determine that part of it. We’re always on the look for players. Now, we’re not looking at NFL rosters right now or any guys that just got cut.”