Projecting WVU's Defensive Depth Chart vs. Penn State

An early look at what the Mountaineer defensive depth chart could be.

Schuyler Callihan | Aug 21, 2024

Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

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West Virginia Mountaineers

We're a little over a week away from West Virginia kicking off the season against No. 8 Penn State. Yesterday, we took a look at what the Mountaineer offensive depth chart could look like next Saturday and today, we flip it over to the defensive side of the ball.

DE: Sean Martin, TJ Jackson, Zachariah Keith
NT: Fatorma Mulbah OR Hammond Russell IV, Nate Gabriel
DT: Edward Vesterinen, Asani Redwood, Elijah Kinsler

Sean Martin and Edward Vesterinen are expected to have big seasons in their final go around as a Mountaineer. Martin has been a solid player, but hasn't quite lived up to the expectations of being a legit threat as a pass rusher. A big year for him could give him a two or three round jump in next year's draft. Troy transfer TJ Jackson is the x-factor here for me. He's undersized, but man, the kid is tough and wreaks havoc in the backfield. This d-line group isn't as deep as it was in 2023 and is considered to be the weakest area of the defense, but the potential is there. Not having Corey McIntyre Jr. is a big blow to the depth of this room.

SPUR: Tyrin Bradley Jr., Ty French, Taurus Simmons, Obinna Onwuka, Oryend Fisher
WLB: Josiah Trotter, Ben Cutter, Curtis Jones Jr.
MLB: Trey Lathan, Reid Carrico, Caden Biser, Rickey Williams

WVU isn't where it needs to be from a depth perspective at spur, but this is easily the best pass rushing duo they've had since arriving in 2019. Tyrin Bradley Jr. finished the 2023 season on a strong note and Ty French will be able to compliment him as a powerful, yet athletic force off the edge. The linebacker group remains young as a whole, but an experienced one. Ben Cutter saw a ton of valuable snaps after Trey Lathan was lost for the season with a leg injury and progressed as the season went along. Josiah Trotter might be the most talented player of the group, but has yet to play a single down. His presence will be felt immediately in 2024.

SPEAR: Aubrey Burks, Zae Jennings, Raleigh Collins III
FS: Anthony Wilson, Jaheem Joseph
CAT: Kekoura Tarnue, Josiah Jackson, Israel Boyce

Aubrey Burks moves down closer to the action which should benefit him and get WVU's best eleven on the field. Neal Brown seems to like the talent all three safety spots offer, but is concerned about the consistency. KK Tarnue is making a move and it comes as no surprise. He popped on film when I watched his Jacksonville State tape, playing both corner and safety. Having him settled in at one spot should elevate his production, but having that flexibility in his back pocket is huge for this defense.

CB: Ayden Garnes, TJ Crandall, Jordan Jackson, Rodney Gallagher III, Keyshawn Robinson, Chris Henry
CB: Garnett Hollis Jr., Jacolby Spells, Dontez Fagan, Key'on Washington

Has West Virginia had a really strong starting corner tandem under this regime? That's an easy answer. No, they haven't. They've had all-league caliber players there such as Charles Woods and Beanie Bishop, but they didn't have help legitimate help on the other side of the field. Ayden Garnes and Garnett Hollis Jr. can help WVU take massive strides defending the pass.

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