---

2016 West Virginia Football Recruiting Class: West Virginia might not have brought in the elite prospects that Baylor and TCU did, but there are enough very good recruits signing on to make this a strong group both for now and in the future.

---

Follow, or just provide your love to @PeteFiutak 

West Virginia Football Recruiting Class Overview

It’s a good enough class to keep West Virginia moving forward. There aren’t a lot of four-star types compared to other top Big 12 schools, but there are plenty of very good, very fast, very athletic players coming in who fill the Mountaineer type. Throw in the JUCO transfers, and head coach Dana Holgorsen has a good class for what he needs to do for this season.

The Class Is Heavy On …

Defensive backs. JUCO transfer Kyzir White is a huge safety who’s being brought in to push for a job this year, while Dylan Tonkery and Sean Mahone are two great prospects who’ll ideally be a part of the safety rotation in the next three years. The corner prospects aren’t elite, but they can fly – the safeties are better.

The Star of the Class Is …

RB Justin Crawford, 6-0, 200 – WR Steven Smithers is a small, shifty speedster who looks the part of a dangerous do-it-all offensive weapon in the Mountaineer offense, but it’s Crawford who should make the biggest splash. The JUCO transfer from Northwest Mississippi is a tough, durable back who plays bigger than his size. He can potentially carry the offense at times.

The Team’s Biggest 2016 Depth Chart Hole Is …

Linebacker. The offense returns loaded with just one starter gone, and the defense has the secondary to potentially be great once the rotation is figured out. The linebacking corps, though, is the big concern losing Nick Kwiatkoski on the strongside and hybrid K.J. Dillon along with the other two starters. In all, five of the seven starters up front are gone.

2016 West Virginia Football Recruiting Class

Jacquez Adams CB 5-11 160 Reisterstown, Md./Milford Academy
Toyous Avery S 5-11 194 Covington, Ga./Coffeyville CC
Elijah Battle CB 6-0 185 Linden, N.J./Dodge City CC
Chase Behrndt OL 6-4 295 Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette
Jacob Buccigrossi OL 6-4 295 Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills
Justin Crawford RB 6-0 200 Columbus, Ga./NW Mississippi CC
Mike Daniels CB 5-11 205 Miami, Fla./Globe Tech CC
Reese Donahue DL 6-5 245 Milton, W.Va./Cabell Midland
Brendan Ferns LB 6-3 220 St. Clairsville, Ohio/St. Clairsville
Adam Hensley LB 6-3 220 Centerville, Ohio/Centerville
Jake Long CB 6-0 180 Columbus, Ohio/Hamilton Township
Sean Mahone CB 5-10 200 Liberty Township, Ohio/Lakota West
Kennedy McKoy RB 6-2 195 Clemmons, N.C./North Davidson
Martell Pettaway RB 5-9 200 Detroit, Mich./ Martin Luther King
Jeffery Pooler DL 6-4 290 Dayton, Ohio/Dunbar
Zach Sandwisch LB 6-2 210 Woodville, Ohio/Central Catholic
Cody Saunders QB 6-2 205 Panama City Beach, Fla./Arnold
Josh Sills OL 6-6 315 Sarahsville, Ohio/Meadowbrook
Marcus Simms WR 6-1 175 Olney, Md./Sherwood
Craig Smith OL 6-6 310 West Palm Beach, Fla./Tyler JC
Steven Smothers WR 5-9 154 Reisterstown, Md./Franklin
Jovanni Stewart S 5-10 190 Katy, Texas/Katy
Logan Thimons LB 6-2 220 Sarver, Pa./Freeport Area Senior
Dylan Tonkery S 6-0 195 Bridgeport, W.Va./Bridgeport
Trevon Wesco TE 6-4 275 Gerrardstown, W.Va./Lackawanna College
Kyzir White S 6-3 210 Macungie, Pa./Lackawanna College
Jonn Young K/P 6-0 200 Advance, N.C./Davie

MORE: Ranking No. 1 Recruiting Classes Since 2002