Jordan Lesley Sees Potential in Lee Kpogba

Linebacker Lee Kpogba is making an early impression on teammates and coaching staff

West Virginia defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley may have his kind of middle linebacker for the first time since arriving in Morgantown, not that he didn’t have good ones in the last three seasons, but he has the size, length and speed he’s looking for in Lee Kpogba.

The middle linebacker generally takes on the leadership role and despite enrolling in January, Kpogba emerged as a leader during winter workouts.

“He’s come and really established himself from the first week he was here as one of the hardest workers,” said West Virginia head coach Neal Brown. "Extremely appreciative, has a lot of gratitude. One of our best teammates and that’s shown up in a relative short time.”

“The kid is just one of those guys that’s ultra-competitive,” said defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley. “I think I saw him talking trash to a tire the other day as he was flipping it. He’s got that type of mentality that you want at that position. He’s just kind of has his natural leadership abilities, even though he’s knew to the roster, he’s not afraid to show that.”

Also adding, “He owns everything he does wrong. He has that mentality.”

Kpogba originally committed to West Virginia as a junior to Dana Holgorsen's staff, but ultimately flipped to Syracuse where he spent two seasons before heading to JUCO. The Winston-Salem native played 22 career games for the Orange at linebacker and on special teams. As a sophomore, he recorded 43 tackles, two tackles for loss and had one sack. In one season at East Mississippi Community College, he tallied 84 tackles, including 34 solo tackles, two sacks, 5.5 tackles for a loss, an interception, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

This will be the fourth season since Brown’s arrival they will be filling a void at middle linebacker. In year one, obviously with a new staff it was an open competition. A tough nosed in-state talent, Dylan Tonkery, manned the middle the first season before bringing in Arizona transfer Tony Fields, then last season, Josh Chandler-Semedo. All three began their careers as an outside linebacker.

“He’s a true mike and he plays that way,” Lesley said following day two of spring practice. This is the first time the defensive staff will potentially have a true starting mike linebacker since their arrival. Both Brown and Lesley have both stated it will have to translate to live periods but in the early going, he has shown to be ‘the guy’ to lead the defense.

On day three when senior defensive lineman Dante Stills was asked who stood on defense, he immediately answered “Lee Kpogba”.

Lesley noted he wasn't sure if his offseason success will translate onto the field in the fall but did say, the way Kpogba's approach to the offseason is "something we needed."

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