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Draft Scout College Football Player News: West Virginia

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10/14/22 - Ayden Garnes, rJr/2026, West Virginia + More +

SEP 19 NEC PRIME PERFORMER: Ayden Garnes, DUQ (DB, R-Fr.),...Garnes, a redshirt-freshman, recorded three solo tackles to finish with four total for Duquesne in a 24-14 defeat at FBS opponent Hawaii. The defensive back added one forced fumble and an interception, which helped keep the Dukes within eight points of the Rainbow Warriors heading into the final quarter. - NEC Football

rJr/2026

CB Ayden Garnes, West Virginia
News Source: NEC Football
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10/04/22 - CJ Donaldson Jr., Jr/2026, West Virginia + More +

West Virginia running back CJ Donaldson is in concussion protocol and will miss next week's home game with Baylor after he was injured in a loss to Texas, coach Neal Brown said Tuesday. Donaldson remained on the ground after he was tackled on a short gain in the third quarter of Saturday's 38-20 loss to the Longhorns. His helmet and shoulder pads were removed and he was carted off the field on a stretcher. After the game he was cleared to travel home with the team. "He's recovering," Brown said. "There is a strict return-to-play (policy) that we have to follow here and I'm zero involved in it. All I do is ask the question. They don't even start the return-to-play until they're symptom free." Donaldson, a 240-pound freshman, leads the Mountaineers with 389 rushing yards and six touchdowns, with an average of 6.9 yards per carry. West Virginia (2-3, 0-2 Big 12 Conference) is idle this week and hosts Baylor (3-2, 1-1) next Thursday, Oct. 13. - AP College Football

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FB CJ Donaldson Jr., West Virginia
News Source: AP College Football
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09/05/22 - CJ Donaldson Jr., Jr/2026, West Virginia + More +

SEPT 5 BIG 12 NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK: CJ Donaldson, WVU, RB, Fr.,...In the first game of his collegiate career, Donaldson scored his first touchdown on a five-yard rush in the third quarter against No. 17 Pitt. His first career carry went for 44 yards and he finished with a game-high 125 yards on seven carries. Donaldson is the first Mountaineer to rush for 100 yards in his collegiate debut since Martell Pettaway on Nov. 26, 2016, at Iowa State. The freshman also blocked a punt in the third quarter, West Virginia's first since Logan Thimons on Sept. 14, 2019, against NC State. - Big 12 Football

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FB CJ Donaldson Jr., West Virginia
News Source: Big 12 Football
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08/30/22 - Zach Frazier, rJr/2024, West Virginia + More +

2022 PRESEASON ALLSTATE AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM NOMINEE: Zach Frazier, West Virginia University,...Has played in 23 career games, including 22 starts...Walter Camp Preseason All-America Second Team...Preseason All-Big 12 Conference First Team (Big 12 Media, Athlon Sports)...Preseason All-Big 12 Conference Third Team (Phil Steele)...2021, 2022 Iron Mountaineer Award...Earned All-America Second Team honors (AFCA, Walter Camp)...Started all 13 games at center in 2021. - West Virginia Football

rJr/2024

C Zach Frazier, West Virginia
News Source: West Virginia Football
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08/29/22 - Zach Frazier, rJr/2024, West Virginia + More +

2022 PRESEASON WUERFFEL TROPHY (COMMUNITY SERVICE) WATCHLIST: Zach Frazier, West Virginia, Jr., OL,...Earned All-America Second Team honors (AFCA, Walter Camp)Started all 13 games at center in 2021...Academic All-Big 12 First Team...2021 Iron Mountaineer Award winner. - West Virginia Football

rJr/2024

C Zach Frazier, West Virginia
News Source: West Virginia Football
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08/25/22 - Jasir Cox, rSr/2023, West Virginia + More +

The common view of the transfer portal is one of players hurling themselves headlong into the wormhole without any clear idea of what lies in wait on the other side. WVU safety Jasir Cox shatters that conception. Following a career at North Dakota State in which his team lost just three games over four years (2018-21) while winning three FCS national titles, the Kansas City, Missouri, native wanted, like many players at that level, to prove himself at the top tier of collegiate football.

Instead of simply jumping in and seeing what was out there, however, the sociology major (he already holds his undergraduate degree in that field) put together a thoughtful approach to finding a new destination. "I did a lot of research on the team and on the position," said Cox, who was looking for a spot where he could showcase more safety skills than he did at NDSU, where he was an outside linebacker playing at around 200 pounds. "I entered the portal in February and had a lot of time to consider what options were best for me. Oklahoma State was a big one, and Texas reached out. It was a long decision, but West Virginia was the best fit for me." He also used the experience of older brother Jabril Cox, who also played at NDSU before transferring to LSU for his final year in 2020, as an information source for his decision. - Charleston Gazette-Mail

rSr/2023

OLB Jasir Cox, West Virginia
News Source: Charleston Gazette-Mail
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08/17/22 - Dante Stills, rJr/2023, West Virginia + More +

2022 PRESEASON ROTARY LOMBARDI AWARD WATCHLIST: Dante Stills, West Virginia, S-Sr DL,...All-Big 12 First Team (AP, Coaches, Phil Steele) in 2021...Sits No. 3 in program history in career TFLs (43.5) and tied for No. 6 in sacks (19)...His 15 tackles for loss in 2021 are tied for No. 10 in single-season team history...Played in 13 games and started 12 at defensive tackle...Finished with 36 tackles, including 29 solo stops, seven sacks, 15 tackles for loss, six quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one interception. - West Virginia Football

rJr/2023

DT Dante Stills, West Virginia
News Source: West Virginia Football
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08/17/22 - Owen Chafin, rJr/2024, West Virginia + More +

Owen Chafin is looking for a new football home. The former Spring Valley High School star said Saturday he is entering the transfer portal and leaving West Virginia University. "Honestly, I'm looking for somewhere that can give me an opportunity," said Chafin, a 5-foot-8, 202-pound redshirt junior running back. "I'm ready to push my limits and be more of an asset." Chafin, an engineering major, didn't see playing time with the Mountaineers, but was named All-Academic Big 12 and won several honors for his off-field charitable work. He ran for 4,200 yards and 29 touchdowns in high school. Chafin's departure leaves WVU with Tony Mathis Jr., Justin Johnson Jr., Markquan Rucker and Jaylen Anderson vying for playing time at running back. Chafin has three years of eligibility. - Charleston Gazette-Mail

rJr/2024

RB Owen Chafin, West Virginia
News Source: Charleston Gazette-Mail
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08/16/22 - Wyatt Milum, Sr/2025, West Virginia + More +

2022 PRESEASON ROTARY LOMBARDI AWARD WATCHLIST: Wyatt Milum, West Virginia, So OT,...Played in 12 games and started eight at right tackle in 2021...FWAA Freshman All-America Team...Saw action on 628 offensive plays, including a season-high 90 against Texas...Used on 50 or more offensive plays in seven games...Helped pave the way for Leddie Brown to rush for 1,000 yards. - West Virginia Football

Sr/2025

OT Wyatt Milum, West Virginia
News Source: West Virginia Football
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08/13/22 - Zach Frazier, rJr/2024, West Virginia + More +

2022 PRESEASON ROTARY LOMBARDI AWARD WATCHLIST: Zach Frazier, West Virginia, So C,...Earned All-America Second Team honors (AFCA, Walter Camp) in 2021...Started all 13 games at center...Allowed only three sacks all season, registering 10 games without allowing a sack...Started all 13 games...saw action on 895 offensive snaps, including a season-high 90 against Texas. - West Virginia Football

rJr/2024

C Zach Frazier, West Virginia
News Source: West Virginia Football
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08/13/22 - Lee Kpogba, Sr/2024, West Virginia + More +

Ready or not, Lee Kpogba would likely find himself thrust into action via necessity. The transfer of Josh Chandler-Semedo left WVU with a hole at mike with returners Exree Loe and Lance Dixon likely to share time at the will linebacker spot. Tirek Austin-Cave transferred in from Miami in May and should add depth as well. Since arriving before spring, Kpogba estimated that he's added 10-15 pounds of weight to help him stand up to a Big 12 Conference schedule. And even if he's got the inside track on a starting position, he said he's still hard at work every day. "The big emphasis that I wanted to fix was me crossing over as far as my footwork and things," Kpogba said. "Put myself in better positions to make a play, not overrun the ball - things like that. And I feel I've done a better job with that." As Lesley's "quarterback" of the defense, Kpogba also understands that he must be a leader even as he still gets accustomed to the system. That balance has been the biggest undertaking of his time in Morgantown thus far. "There's still stuff that I need to learn," Kpogba admitted. "But as far as base stuff and the simple things in our defense, yes, I can teach and I've been helping them with that. Helping all the younger guys." - Charleston Gazette-Mail

Sr/2024

ILB Lee Kpogba, West Virginia
News Source: Charleston Gazette-Mail
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08/12/22 - Ty French, rSr/2025, West Virginia + More +

2022 PRESEASON STATS PERFORM FCS THIRD TEAM ALL-AMERICAN: DL - Ty French, 6-3, 230, junior, Gardner-Webb,...French (Moultrie, Ga./Colquitt County HS) has been one of the nation's most feared pass rushers since arriving on campus in 2020. He was the Big South's Defensive Freshman of the Year following the spring season in 2021, and followed that up with another first-team All-Big South nod this past fall. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound junior was a Hero Sports Freshman All-America in the spring and a Sophomore All-America in the fall. French has 22.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks in just 14 career games so far, disrupting opposing defenses to the tune of 132 lost yards. Last season, French had 61 total tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He was dominant against Big South foes, recording seven of his sacks in the final four games he played. - Gardner-Webb Football

rSr/2025

OLB Ty French, West Virginia
News Source: Gardner-Webb Football
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08/11/22 - Doug Nester, rSr/2024, West Virginia + More +

Much has been made about the fact that West Virginia returns all five starters across the offensive line. But experience alone won't be enough to tilt the scales for an offense that has largely struggled in three years under coach Neal Brown. However, right guard Doug Nester believes that familiarity will be the driving force behind the needed improvement as he appeared in front of the media on Monday after the team's latest practice. "I think our chemistry is just so much better up front," Nester said. "You can tell the room has changed a lot since I got here last winter or two winters ago. Just the chemistry in there. We're all so close now and we all worked so hard together in the offseason. I think it's a whole different room." For the Mountaineers to turn the corner under new offensive coordinator Graham Harrell, it will likely have to be.

By now, the struggles have been well documented. Last season WVU ranked last in the Big 12 in rushing (123.6 yards per game) and gave up the most sacks in the league (38). Those sacks led to 294 negative yards, over a hundred more than the next highest total in the conference with Oklahoma yielding 33 sacks for 188 yards. For Nester, a standout at Spring Valley High School and a transfer from Virginia Tech, much of his personal growth will come with health. Last season, the 6-foot-7, 320-pounder battled through a hand injury, requiring a large cast that he didn't shed until late in the season. Since spring practices, Nester has been healthy (and sans cast) and he said that has made - and will continue to make - a big difference in his performance. "I've got a lot to prove this year," Nester admitted. "I played half the season a little bit handicapped. I think this season is going to be a little bit different." - Charleston Gazette-Mail

rSr/2024

OT Doug Nester, West Virginia
News Source: Charleston Gazette-Mail
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08/11/22 - Bryce Ford-Wheaton, rSr/2023, West Virginia + More +

To hear West Virginia wide receivers coach Tony Washington tell it, all 12 wideouts on the roster are in play to see the field starting with the team's opener at Pitt on Sept. 1. But how those guys fill out the team's depth chart remains one of the more intriguing things to watch as fall camp rolls into week two. Washington took to the microphone on Monday and fielded questions from the media. Along the way he was asked about nearly every player under his direction, giving updates on veterans and freshmen alike. The thinking is that three receivers - redshirt juniors Bryce Ford-Wheaton and Sam James and sophomore Kaden Prather - should be starters and heavy producers. - Charleston Gazette

rSr/2023

WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton, West Virginia
News Source: Charleston Gazette
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08/09/22 - Dante Stills, rJr/2023, West Virginia + More +

Dante Stills arrived at WVU in 2018 after a blue-chip career just down the road at Fairmont Senior High School. Since joining the Mountaineers, he's played in all 47 games, starting 26 of them. He's taking advantage of the COVID-prompted free-eligibility year in 2020 to play a fifth year of college football. He's already racked up 19 career sacks (tied for sixth in school history) and 44 tackles for lost yardage (third most), and he figures to add to those numbers in 2022 after earning first-team all-Big 12 honors last season.

One thing neither Stills nor any of his Mountaineer teammates have ever done in their West Virginia careers, though, is line up against Pitt. That will change with the Sept. 1 renewal of the Backyard Brawl after a hiatus of more than a decade. "I've been waiting on this my whole life," said Stills of his opportunity to participate in the Pitt-WVU rivalry. "I remember two or three of them when I was growing up. "This isn't big just for us," he added. "This isn't just a team thing; it's a state thing. We as a whole state are looking forward to this game. Me and my guys are amped up. We're working hard during camp, so by game time we can go out and have fun." - Charleston Gazette-Mail

rJr/2023