Mountaineer Maven Recruiting Mailbag

It's time to open the mail and answer all of your recruiting questions

You ask, we answer! We dive into your recruiting questions in our latest Mountaineer Maven Recruiting Q&A.

Q: Out of the star receivers that WVU is in the race for (Dont’e Thornton, Kaden Prather, JJ Jones, etc) who do you think in most likely to commit?

A: Many believed West Virginia had a strong chance to land Myrtle Beach (SC) receiver JJ Jones – and things appeared promising in mid-April when the Mountaineers landed inside his top ten. Since then, however, Jones trimmed his list to a top five and eliminated the Mountaineers.

Both Don’t’e Thornton and Kaden Prather are top priorities for the staff – although winning the battle for their services will not be easy. Both receivers are high on Penn State and have solid connections with the coaching staffs there.

I recently outlined my prediction on a full-court press coming for Prather, so if I placed odds today on which would be most likely to commit to West Virginia – it would be him.

Q: Who is going to be the “breakout freshman” when Mountaineer football starts up again?

A: Let us first start with “when football starts up again” because we are all in the same boat here. We need sports. In terms of which freshman is poised to become a breakout player …

The question was posed as “freshman” and not “newcomer”, so I will go with two – wide receiver Reese Smith and cornerback David Vincent-Okoli.

Both players can help in a variety of ways. The staff loves the potential Smith can provide in the passing game and special teams and Vincent-Okoli can be utilized in a similar fashion.

Q: What was the biggest need that was met this offseason?

A: This is easily the question I debated on most. I could quickly point to individual units – the offensive line, which was a struggle last season, but added four new members – or the defensive line which added a whopping five new names to the depth chart – or maybe, maybe the receiving core that received a huge boost late with the addition of Sam Brown while holding onto Reese Smith and Devell Washington among others.

But I will go a different route. The biggest need – specifically for a program under new leadership – is building the foundation. The West Virginia staff did a phenomenal job in centering this class around quality kids – at core positions – who can contribute for years to come.

Q: Can you rate Neal Brown’s first recruiting class on a scale of 1-10?

A: Neal Brown and his staff did an excellent job recruiting for his first class, so I would rate it a solid eight. The class accomplished many of its goals – securing long term help and filling immediate needs.

Both the offensive and defensive line were successes. Again, they secured needs to help immediately and those that could flourish in the program for years to come.

A few other highlights? They found their quarterback in Garrett Greene, won a late recruiting battle to steal receiver Sam Brown and secured a late pickup for Florida running back A’Varius Sparrow.

Q: Who has been your favorite recruit so far?

A: Tough question. Tough because each individual recruit offers something unique. So, I will tailor this answer to on-field favorite.

If pressed – and you asked me the question so I assume I am being pressed – I would choose quarterback Garrett Greene.

Greene is a foundation block for the Mountaineers. He is sharp, precise, has amazing worth ethic and is a competitor. His close connection with Neal Brown and staff puts the Mountaineers is a good spot at the position moving forward.

Q: What are recruits doing during these times to stay in shape and prepare for next season?

A: This is an excellent question. Everyone is in the same boat in terms of not having access to gyms, fitness centers or high school workout facilities. Many recruits I have spoken with are doing their best to transform backyards or garages into workout areas and using local tracks for conditioning.

A good portion are also using social media to highlight their efforts – taking advantage of the platform to hold themselves accountable.