WV Sports Nation’s weekly position review of WVU Football rolls along, moving to the defensive side of the ball this week. Specifically, we will be taking a closer look at the Mountaineers’ front seven. Read more: Position Review #6: A closer look at WVU’s front seven.
This includes the defensive line and linebackers. There is a lot to be excited about when it comes to these two groups, especially with how experienced the linebacker room is for WVU.
The defensive line boasts a lot of freshmen, but there is still a handful of upperclassmen who should be primed to take over the majority of the rotation throughout the season.
Cutter and Hood lead experienced LB group
Not to sound like a broken record, but it cannot be stressed enough; defensive coordinator Zac Alley will have no issue trusting the leaders of his linebacker unit.
This is because at the core of the LB room are a pair of experienced seniors in Ben Cutter and Malachi Hood. The former enters his fourth year with the Mountaineers and the latter joins the program after a four-year career at Illinois.
Cutter has consistently seen the field every year he has been at WVU. He quickly proved his worth as a freshman in 2023 when he finished as the fourth-leading tackler on the team. He collected 56 total tackles, as well as two sacks and six tackles for loss.
After a solid sophomore campaign where he finished with 39 tackles, Cutter came back last season and became one of the team’s most reliable players on the defensive end.
The North Carolina native registered 38 tackles, one sack, and 3.5 tackles for loss. He also tied a team high with two interceptions.
Coming off three productive years, Cutter is now lined up to be an every down type of player for Alley’s defense. He moves well and has proven to be a sound tackler in the middle of the field.
However, he will not have to do it alone. Hood is also coming off a highly productive year for the Fighting Illini. His breakout 2025 year featured a career high 44 tackles, as well as one sack and 2.5 TFLs.
He also appeared in 13 games for Illinois last season, including eight starts. In 2024, Hood also saw a lot of time on the field as he appeared in 12 games throughout the year.
But wait that’s not all
The vast amount of experience those two players bring will be crucial to the Mountaineers’ success on defense. Both Hood and Cutter should have no trouble earning significant playing time this season.
However, one cannot talk about the linebacker room without mentioning Ashton Woods. The junior enters his second season with the Mountaineers after beginning his career at North Carolina.
Fans did not get to see a lot of Woods last season, as he sustained a season-ending injury just six games into the season. Nonetheless, he still managed to show his capabilities as a tackler and a quality rotational piece at linebacker.
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Florida Atlantic transfer Tyler Stolsky is another member of the linebacker room who is arguably going slightly under the radar. Rated as a three-star transfer, the redshirt senior is coming off a career year where he finished with 90 total tackles for the Owls.
The Michigan native was all over the field for the Owls and quickly established himself as one of their top defensive players. Before his lone year at FAU, Stolsky appeared in 24 games across three years at Minnesota.
At 6’2 and 232 pounds, he has the ideal size to make an impact between the hashes for West Virginia. Alongside Cutter and Hood, expect Stolsky to play a significant role this season.
Come back Tuesday for the D-line
That wraps up West Virginia’s 2026 linebacker room. In my opinion, it has the potential to be one of the most productive and reliable position groups on the roster.
The trio of Cutter, Hood, and Stolsky should form a strong presence in the middle of the field for the Mountaineers. Add Woods to that conversation, and West Virginia could have one of the strongest four-man linebacker rotations in the Big 12.
Come back Tuesday as we dive into the defensive line. That group may not boast the same level of Power Four experience as the linebackers, but it has plenty of untapped potential.
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