30 days, 30 legends: Nos. 15-11

We have released the next five players on our list of the top 30 WVU Football players of all time. If you have been following along on social media, you are in the loop and have hopefully weighed in. If not, here is the list so far: No. 15: Jeff Hostetler, No. 14: Bruce Irvin, No. 13: Adam “Pacman” Jones, No. 12: Noel Devine, No. 11: Stedman Bailey. Not everyone agrees, but that is the point. Stay tuned in and follow along, and I will recap the list as we go, with a full recap at the conclusion. Read more: 30 days, 30 legends: Nos. 15-11.

List so far

No. 30: Anthony Becht
No. 29: David Sills V
No. 28: Zach Frazier
No. 27: Canute Curtis
No. 26: Grant Wiley
No. 25: Dan Mozes
No. 24: Chris Henry
No. 23: Gary Stills
No. 22: Owen Schmitt
No. 21: Will Grier
No. 20: Karl Joseph
No. 19: Aaron Beasley
No. 18: Amos Zereoué
No. 17: Avon Cobourne
No. 16: Pat McAfee

No. 15: Jeff Hostetler

Jeff Hostetler started his collegiate career at Penn State, but transferred to West Virginia for his final two seasons. He immediately became the leader of WVU’s 1982 and 1983 teams near the beginning of Don Nehlen’s tenure in Morgantown. Hostetler’s first game as a Mountaineer was a 41-27 victory over the No. 9-ranked Oklahoma Sooners. He threw for four touchdowns and 321 yards. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.

Hostetler was drafted in the third round (59th overall) of the 1984 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He played 12 years in the NFL and won Super Bowl XXV over the Buffalo Bills.

No. 14: Bruce Irvin

Bruce Irvin only played two seasons at WVU after transferring from Mt. San Antonio College, but they made them count. He finished with 23 sacks in two seasons, which still ranks fifth all-time in program history. He finished with 14 sacks in 2010, which was second-most in the nation. It is the third-most sacks in a season in WVU history. Irvin was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.

He was drafted 15th overall by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2012 NFL Draft. He played 12 seasons in the NFL and helped the Seahawks win Super Bowl XLVIII.

No. 13: Adam “Pacman” Jones

Adam “Pacman” Jones was one of the most electrifying defensive backs and returners in college football history. He led the team with 76 tackles, two sacks, three interceptions, and seven passes defended in his final season. He was named Big East Special Teams Player of the Year in 2004. Jones racked up 1,475 kick return yards in his career, which ranks third all-time. He also added 404 punt return yards.

Jones was one of the highest drafted players to play at WVU. The Tennessee Titans drafted him sixth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft. He played 12 seasons in the NFL, finishing his career with 17 interceptions.

No. 12: Noel Devine

Noel Devine was a home-run threat every time he touched the ball. He finished his career with 4,315 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns. Those are good for third and seventh-most in school history. He finished his career as the all-time leader in all-purpose yards with 5,761, and is currently second. Devine also caught 98 passes for 710 yards and two touchdowns. He is WVU’s all-time running back receptions leader. Devine was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2021. He is currently the assistant running backs coach and offensive analyst with the program.

No. 11: Stedman Bailey

Stedman Bailey played three seasons in Morgantown and is the all-time leader with 41 receiving touchdowns. He also sits second all-time with 3,218 receiving yards and has 14 100-yard receiving games, which is the most all-time. Bailey also has the second-most receptions in program history with 210.

After tying the school’s single-season record with 12 receiving touchdowns in 2011, he doubled that number in 2012. He finished with 25 receiving touchdowns, which is a school record in a single season. He also had 114 receptions and 1,622 receiving yards. Bailey tied the single-season record in receptions with teammate Tavon Austin, and shattered the single-season receiving yards record. Bailey was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.

The St. Louis Rams drafted Bailey in the third round (92nd overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft. He played three seasons with the team from 2013 to 2015. Bailey caught 59 passes for 843 yards and two touchdowns. He also had one rushing touchdown and returned a punt for a 90-yard touchdown in 2014.

How to follow along

You can also weigh in each day in the comments on our socials. Here is a list of our socials and where you can find us:

Tap in with our socials. Follow and engage with the posts to give us your opinions. We want feedback from the people who make WVU Football possible: the fans. Download the WV Sports Nation app, and follow along by reading our coverage of WVU Athletics throughout July and into the future. Stay tuned in and turn on notifications so you don’t miss a single ranking. The history of WVU Football was built one great player at a time. This is their month.

Author

Trent Conner

Trent Conner is a skilled writer with years of experience covering various sports. Based in West Virginia, he provides insightful analysis and expert predictions, with a focus on West Virginia University athletics. Trent stays on top of the latest trends and is passionate about delivering engaging and informative sports content.

View all posts