For most true freshmen, the first few weeks of fall camp are about learning.
For West Virginia offensive lineman Kevin Brown, they could be about earning a starting job. Read more: Fall camp: Kevin Brown emerging as serious contender along offensive line.
The 2026 four-star recruit has quickly put himself in position to compete for a starting spot along the Mountaineers’ offensive line, drawing praise from head coach Rich Rodriguez for his physical readiness and maturity just days into fall camp.
“Kevin’s got a chance to start,” Rodriguez said. “He’s physically ready, but more than anything, he’s got a certain level of maturity, football maturity, that you don’t typically see in a true freshman.”
That combination could make Brown one of the most intriguing players to watch as West Virginia works toward its season opener against Coastal Carolina.
Not your typical freshman
The physical tools were never really in question.
At 6’5 and more than 300 pounds, Brown entered West Virginia with the type of frame that immediately stood out. As the Mountaineers’ top-rated recruit in the 2026 class, expectations were already high before he stepped onto the field in Morgantown.
What has impressed Rodriguez most, however, is not necessarily what Brown can do physically. Instead, it is how quickly he has adjusted to the college game.
Physical ability can get a freshman onto the field, but understanding protections and recognizing the looks a defense throws at him are what allow a young offensive lineman to stay there.
Brown still has plenty to learn. Offensive line coach Rick Trickett made that clear when discussing the freshman.
“First guy out, first guy up for everything; he’s one of the first guys in the building every day,” Trickett said.
Brown is trying to show the coaching staff that he can handle everything that comes with being a starting offensive lineman in the Big 12.
Left side of the line taking shape
While Rodriguez has not publicly named a starting offensive line, the competition is beginning to provide some clues about how West Virginia could line up up front.
Trickett revealed that Brown and Nick Krahe have been working together on one side of the line. Amare Grayson, a transfer from Jacksonville State, and Carsten Casady, a transfer from UConn, have been working together on the other side.
That alignment provides a potential look at the Mountaineers’ left side.
Krahe, who has experience at tackle, is working at guard, while Brown appears to be competing for the tackle position.
If Brown ultimately wins the job, West Virginia would have a true freshman protecting the blind side of the quarterback, whoever that may be, with a veteran teammate next to him.
That would be a significant responsibility for a true freshman, but the fact that the coaching staff is giving him the opportunity speaks to how quickly he has progressed during his time at WVU.
With multiple players capable of playing different positions, the Mountaineers still have time to sort out the final combinations. That said, Brown’s emergence has given WVU another intriguing option on the left side of the line.
Prove it
For all the praise Brown received in Friday’s media availability, the coaching staff is not ready to hand him the job just yet.
“Y’all throw that word around ‘great’ an awful lot. I think he’s got a chance to be a good player right now,” Trickett said. “And then hopefully, in another year or so, he’s going to be a really good player.”
Trickett’s assessment serves as an early reminder that while Brown has impressed early, he is still a true freshman learning the college game. There will be mistakes and growing pains along the way, but the opportunity to earn a starting role is clearly there.
Brown has the rest of fall camp to keep proving he can handle the physical and mental demands of the position.
If he does, West Virginia could have a true freshman starting at left tackle when the Mountaineers open the season against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, September 5.
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And potentially, a cornerstone of the offensive line for years to come.
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