WVU Football Had a Busy Week in Transfer Portal

By: Justin Walker, Jonathan Martin & Clark Johnson | WV Sports Chat

Rich Rodriguez and the West Virginia Mountaineers are flipping the majority of the roster for the second consecutive year. Many of the new roster additions are coming from the high school and JUCO ranks, but WVU is still doing plenty of work in the transfer portal. 

Some key departures for the Mountaineers have been quarterback Nicco Marchiol (unsigned), wide receiver Cam Vaughn (Miami), running back Jahiem White (North Texas), wide receiver Rodney Gallagher (Arizona), and defensive lineman Hammond Russell (Wisconsin).

To fill the holes left by these departures, as well as several others who may have been less impactful, Rodriguez and his staff have worked tirelessly. Below is a rundown of some of the key portal additions who are expected to contribute right away in Morgantown. 

Cam Cook, Running Back

The 5-foot-11, 200-pound junior played for Jacksonville State last season. He had previously spent two seasons at TCU.

The running back position has been a point of concern following the departures of key contributors Jahiem White, Diore Hubbard, and Cyncir Bowers to the portal. Filling that void with the nation’s top rusher would signal WVU’s intent to rebound quickly in the competitive Big 12.

Cook led the FBS in rushing in 2025 with 1,659 yards on 295 carries (5.6 yards per carry) and 16 rushing touchdowns. He also added 286 yards on 30 receptions (9.5 yards per catch) and was named Conference USA Player of the Year.

Offensive Line Rebuild

The offensive line struggled mightily in 2025 and was the position on the offensive side of the ball that needed the biggest overhaul. Rodriguez and his staff have done just that. 

Two players are following offensive line coach Rick Trickett from Jacksonville State. Guards Amare Grayson and Cameron Griffin are heading north to Morgantown. Grayson earned First Team All-Conference USA honors in 2025 after collecting 14 starts. As a freshman in 2024, he was named to the All-Conference USA Freshman team. The Georgia native will have two seasons of eligibility remaining. 

Griffin was named First Team All-Conference USA at the conclusion of the 2025 season. Making 14 starts for the Gamecocks, the junior spent time at multiple positions along the offensive line. Griffin will spend his final year of eligibility in the Gold and Blue.

Both Griffin and Grayson are also familiar with Rodriguez, who was the head coach at Jacksonville State from 2022-2024.

Rodriguez also added Wes King and Carsten Casady to the offensive line room. King comes to Morgantown after three seasons at Wyoming. The 6-foot-5, 315-pound standout has played over 1,750 total snaps in Laramie and has yet to give up a sack. 

Casady comes to Morgantown by way of UConn. The North Carolina native started all 12 games in 2025 with no sacks allowed. The 6-foot-7-inch tackle has played over 1,100 snaps in his career. 

Defensive Help

Defensive coordinator Zac Alley also has many holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball. One of the additions coming to Morgantown is safety Kamari Wilson. Wilson, a 6-foot-1, 210-pound safety from Fort Pierce, Florida, has had a nomadic college career but showed flashes of his elite potential along the way. 

A highly touted prospect out of IMG Academy—ranked as the No. 3 safety and a top-50 overall recruit in the 2022 class by 247Sports Composite—Wilson initially signed with Florida. At Florida (2022-2023), Wilson played as a true freshman in 2022, appearing in all 16 games and starting 2. He recorded 40 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and one pass breakup, earning valuable experience in the SEC. 

After redshirting in 2023, he transferred to Arizona State and played a backup role on the 2024 College Football Playoff team. His breakout came in 2025 at Memphis, where he started and thrived in the American Athletic Conference. Wilson tallied 72 total tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 2 interceptions, 4 pass deflections, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 forced fumbles across 11 games.

Another solid defensive addition was former Florida Atlantic linebacker Tyler Stolsky. The Michigan native, who transferred to the Owls from Minnesota, tallied 86 tackles and 2 sacks in 2025. Standing at 6-foot-3 inches and weighing 225 pounds, Stolsky adds another huge depth body to the linebacker room.

He will have one season of eligibility remaining.

Other transfer additions for WVU were:

• Malachi Hood, Linebacker (Illinois)
• Josh Sapp, Tight End (Clemson)
• Cam Ball, Tight End (Mississippi State)
• Jack Cassidy, Kicker (Western Kentucky)
• Chams Diagne, Cornerback (Georgia State)
• Peter Notaro, Kicker (Alabama) 
• Harper Holloman, EDGE (Western Kentucky)
• Bryan Hansen, Punter (Colorado State)
• John Neider, Wide Receiver (UConn)
• Devin Vass, Offensive Line (Kansas State)
• TaRon Francis, Wide Receiver (LSU)
• Andrew Powdrell, Cornerback (UNLV)
• David Afogho, Defensive Line (Bowling Green)
• DJ Epps, Wide Receiver (Troy)
• Michael Hawkins Jr., Quarterback (Oklahoma)
• Maliek Hawkins, Cornerback (Oklahoma)
• Geimere Latimer, Cornerback (Wisconsin)
• Will LeBlanc, Defensive Line (UT-Permian Basin)
• Prince Strachan, Wide Receiver (USC)
• Isaiah Patterson, Linebacker (UNLV)