The 2026 NFL draft officially begins tomorrow in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and a handful of WVU players are awaiting the call to become professional athletes. Read more: Mountaineer prospects to watch for in 2026 NFL Draft.
While it seems improbable that a Mountaineer will be selected on either of the first two nights of this year’s draft, there are still some notable players to watch for come Saturday.
Michael Coats Jr. – CB
Michael Coats Jr. is the only Mountaineer currently listed in the Prospects tab on the NFL’s Draft Tracker 2026 page. He was given a 5.69 grade, ranked 34th amongst the cornerback prospects.
The Louisville, Mississippi native played just one season at WVU, starting all 12 games. His notable stats from the 2025 season include one fumble recovery and seven pass breakups.
Coats led the Mountaineers in three categories at this year’s Pro Day. He ran the 40-yard dash in an impressive time of 4.39 seconds, reached 10’8” in broad jump and completed the three-cone drill in 6.83 seconds.
Prior to joining the Mountaineers, Coats began his collegiate career at the JUCO level.
Coats played two seasons for East Central CC. He would transfer to Nevada in 2023, where he played two seasons. In that time, he was named to the All-Mountain West First Team and Group of Five All-America First Team in 2024.
Perhaps one of the most impressive things to note about Coats is that he has worked his way to being a draft prospect and did not play football in high school.
Related: Strong reinforcements: A closer look at WVU’s cornerback room (2025)
Reid Carrico – LB
Reid Carrico was ranked 38th amongst linebacker prospects and 383rd overall by NFLDraftBuzz.com. He received a player rating of 74.
The Ironton, Ohio native played two seasons at WVU, playing 24 games and starting four. He recorded 69 tackles, 4.5 sacks and recovered 1 fumble in 2025. He earned Academic All-Big 12 Conference First-Team honors for his work.
Carrico benched 23 reps, reached 36” in the vertical jump, and completed the 20-yard shuttle in 4.28 seconds at this year’s Pro Day.
Prior to joining the Mountaineers, Carrico played at Ohio State for three seasons. He touts Academic All-Big 10 Team honors from 2022 and 2023. He left high school as a four-star recruit.
Related: Few old and many new faces: Assessing WVU’s linebacker corps (2025)
Jimmori Robinson – EDGE
Jimmori Robinson is listed on PFF as the 40th ranked edge defender and 371st overall. He received a season grade of 51.3.
The Alexandria, Virginia native only played one season at WVU, playing nine games and starting two. He recorded nine tackles, an assisted sack and a fumble recovery as a Mountaineer.
Robinson ran the 40-yard dash in five seconds, reached 9’8” in broad jump, and completed the 20-yard shuttle in 4.75 seconds at this year’s Pro Day.
Prior to joining the Mountaineers, Robinson played one season at the JUCO level. That was at Dodge City CC where he started as a freshman. Robinson then played at UTSA for four seasons. There, he won Conference USA Championships in 2021 and 2022.
Related: Trench battle: Evaluating WVU’s offensive and defensive lines (2025)
Other Pro Day participants, and former Mountaineers taking the stage
In addition to Coats, Carrico and Robinson, 22 other Mountaineers participated in this year’s Pro Day. Category leaders included offensive linemen Kimo Makane’ole benching 27 reps, safeties Derek Carter Jr. and Kekoura Tarnue reaching 37.5” in the vertical jump, and wide receiver Jeff Weimer completing the three-cone drill in 4.16 seconds.
No matter what happens at the draft, two Mountaineers will for sure set foot on the NFL Draft stage. Former punter Pat McAfee will announce an Indianapolis Colts draft selection in the second round. Meanwhile, legendary wide receiver Tavon Austin will announce the Los Angeles Rams’ second round draft selection.
Guard Wyatt Milum represented WVU as the only Mountaineer drafted in 2o25. He was selected 89th overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars, playing 10 games in his rookie season. Overall, WVU has had 199 players selected in the NFL draft since 1936. Time will tell if this is the year WVU breaks 200.
Looking ahead to 2027
It’s too early to know, but future Mountaineer running back Cam Cook is an intriguing name to watch for the 2027 NFL Draft.
Cook bypassed it this year after becoming the leading FBS rusher at Jacksonville State in 2025, deciding to transfer to WVU for the 2026 season. He should be one of the most impactful players for WVU this coming season and already has the nation’s attention.
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