WVU Football Inks Transfer Commits, Helping Both Sides of Ball

More new Mountaineers officially sign on with WVU on Sunday. A few players locked in, adding talent to both the offense and defense.

The players listed below have both now transitioned from committing to signing on to play for West Virginia in 2026.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, DJ Epps, who comes to West Virginia from Troy, committed after taking took an official visit to WVU.

The Alabama native caught 47 passes for 512 yards and scored five touchdowns in 2025. He also served as Troy’s kick returner at times, totaling 554 yards off 23 returns and a log that went for 79 yards.

Epps was a redshirt in 2022, only took six snaps in 2023 and then appeared in six games as a sophomore in 2024.

In addition to WVU, Epps also spoke with Cincinnati, Kansas and Iowa State after the transfer portal opened on Jan. 2. He was set to visit Cincinnati on Jan. 9 before deciding to lock in with West Virginia.

For more defensive depth, the WVU football program is bringing in a veteran defensive back to their new secondary.

Georgia State transfer Chams Diagne announced on social media that he’s committing to transfer to West Virginia.

From Georgia State, to a junior college and then back again, Diagne has been in college football since 2022. He made six tackles in 11 games played upon his return to Georgia State in 2024 and then stepped up his game even more in 2025.

He totaled 25 tackles, broke up three passes and picked off a pass against Ole Miss.

And then a potential starter sighed moments later, becoming one of WVU’s top transfer additions.

Bringing physicality to the linebacker room, Illinois transfer Malachi Hood committed to join the WVU football roster earlier in the week.

The addition of Hood, 6-foot-2, 235 pounds, provides West Virginia with a productive Power Four transfer with starting experience. Hood recorded 44 total tackles, 28 solo stops, a pass deflection, a sack and a forced fumble in 2025.

After jumping in the portal on the first day it opened on Jan. 2, Hood will jump from the Big Ten to the Big 12 with the possibility of two years of eligibility. Hood, who already has his degree, will have at least one more season left and would have two depending on the resolution of his attempt at a medical redshirt.

Considered a three-star recruit out of high school in Illinois, Hood started his college career with a redshirt year in 2022 and then missed all of 2023 after suffering a season-ending injury during training camp. Then, he made 14 tackles while appearing in 12 games in 2024 before experiencing a full role last season.

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