Top 10 Breakout Mountaineers: No. 5 Taijh Alston

Can the WVU defensive end recover 100% and have a strong 2020 campaign?

Last season, the Mountaineers coaching staff had a lot of hope and excitement surrounding defensive lineman Taijh Alston, who transferred in from Copiah-Lincoln Community College. 

Unfortunately, that excitement came to an abrupt end when Alston went down with a knee injury in the second game of the season at Missouri. He had torn his patellar tendon and was required to have surgery, forcing him to miss the remainder of the 2019 season. 

Not only was this hard to the coaching staff to swallow, but for Alston as well, who has been through so much in the first handful of years of his collegiate career. Alston started out at East Carolina prior to making the move to junior college. Once he reached West Virginia, it was the first time that he could prove himself on a national stage and get to play major college football. Only playing one full game had to be a tough blow to Alston, which is why I'm projecting to have a fairly big redshirt junior season in 2020.

It may take him a few games to find his rhythm and gain trust in his knee, but once he does, he will have a major impact on the West Virginia defense without a shadow of a doubt. He has top-end speed for an edge rusher and has the ability to be a menace in the backfield.

Do you expect Taijh Alston to have a breakout year in 2020? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

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