Inside Scoop: Movement on the Recruiting Trail

Some interesting news from this past week on the recruiting front

Another Tight End for 2021?

Venice (Fla.) tight end Weston Wolff released his top five schools this past week – with West Virginia making the early cut.

The Mountaineers join Maryland, Miami (Fla.), Northwestern and UCF in a battle for his services. The 6-foot-4, 212-pound tight end recorded over 30 receptions for 450 yards and four touchdowns during his junior campaign.

The Mountaineers currently have Victor Wikstrom (Sweden) in the fold and many believe the thought of adding another tight end to the Class of 2021 seems farfetched – but it is not. Word is the Mountaineer staff is enamored with the pass-catching ability and athleticism Wolff possesses. It’s vital to get him on campus - as the only two schools listed in his top five he’s visited thus far is Maryland and UCF.

Another In-state Priority

Another top target on West Virginia’s big board is South Charleston (WV) defensive end Zeiqui Lawton, who also released his top five schools.

Those making the cut are (in alphabetical order) Boise State, Cincinnati, Illinois, Oregon and West Virginia.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound, in-state pass rusher is a top priority for Neal Brown and his staff – and has been since taking over the program.

Despite trimming his list of schools down to five, Lawton’s recruitment is far from over. I have spoken with multiple sources who disagree on where he will wind up. Some believe the Mountaineer staff has done such a tremendous job in his recruitment he will stay home, while others believe Lawton has a strong desire to go outside the state for college.

Swing and Miss

It was not all good news for West Virginia this past week.

Myrtle Beach (SC) wide receiver JJ Jones – who included West Virginia in his top ten in mid-April – unveiled his top five and removed the Mountaineers from contention. The programs making the cut were Georgia, Mississippi State, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Where will West Virginia turn?

They currently have one commitment from Massillon (Oh.) receiver Andrew Wilson-Lamp. The heat will now be turned up on Kaden Prather (Germantown, MD). In early April he released his top five and included West Virginia along with Maryland, Penn State, Oklahoma and South Carolina. It is no secret the Nittany Lions will be tough to beat.

“Coach [Neal] Brown is a great coach and West Virginia has been a dream school of mine since I was young,” Prather told Mountaineer Maven last month when announcing his top five.

After losing out on Jones expect a full-court press coming for Prather.

Jaylen and Jaylen?

Co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach Chad Scott continues to eyeball potential running back candidates for the Class of 2021 – seeking to pair someone with current commit Jaylen Anderson.

Recently, Durham (NC) running back, Jaylen Wright, a Tennessee commit, received an offer from West Virginia.

Wright is the real-deal – having rushed for over 900 yards and five touchdowns during his junior campaign. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound, standout, chose the Volunteers over multiple offers including Arizona State, South Carolina, Miami (FL) and Arkansas, among others.

So, does West Virginia have a chance? It’s early … and with the current COVID-19 pandemic all things recruiting are up in the air … but, yes, they do have a shot.

Word is he is becoming a priority among the staff and they are hopeful to secure a visit when recruits are allowed back on campuses.