Mountaineers Now

Brandon Yates 'Hungry' to Prove Doubters Wrong

West Virginia's new starting center is eager to get to work.

Schuyler Callihan

Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
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Brandon Yates has some big shoes to fill as he replaces arguably the best center to ever play at West Virginia in Zach Frazier. The sixth-year senior has seen action at virtually every spot along the offensive line, but will look to extend his football playing career by having a solid 2024 campaign at center.

Recently, Big Game Boomer released a list ranking the top 50 centers heading into the 2024 season - a list Yates did not appear on. Big Game Boomer is a college football fan account, so although it's not ESPN, FOX, or CBS dissing the Mountaineer center, it still adds fuel to the fire.

Most around college football may be unfamiliar with Yates' ability, but he played a massive part in the team's win over Baylor in the season finale at center on the final drive. When Frazier hobbled off the field with a leg injury, Yates came right into the game without any practice reps and delivered five perfect snaps to Garrett Greene and did his job in pass protection to help WVU put together a game-winning drive.

Scouts at the next level believe Yates' best opportunity to play in the NFL will be at center, but his previous experiences playing guard and tackle will also make him more appealing.

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Publisher of Mountaineers Now on FanNation/Sports Illustrated. Lead recruiting expert and co-host of Between the Eers, Walk Thru GameDay Show, Mountaineers Now Postgame Show, and In the Gun Podcast.

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