WVU Football released its first depth chart of the 2026 season Tuesday, giving us our first official look at how the Mountaineers are expected to line up when they take the field against Coastal Carolina.
For the most part, the depth chart does not come with a ton of surprises, especially at some of the positions where there have been clear favorites throughout fall camp. Still, there are a few things that stand out, including what the chart says about the quarterback competition and some of the younger players expected to take on major roles.
Here are five takeaways from the first depth chart. Read more: West Virginia releases initial football depth chart: five takeaways from the first look.
Kevin Brown is officially the man at left tackle
Kevin Brown being listed as the starting left tackle is not necessarily a surprise, considering he has been one of the names frequently mentioned as a favorite to win the job throughout the offseason.
Still, there is a difference between expecting a freshman to win the job and actually seeing his name at the top of the depth chart.
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Brown, a 6’6, 294-pound freshman, is listed ahead of Malik Agbo, giving him the first opportunity at one of the most important positions on the offensive line. Agbo brings considerably more experience to the position, so having Brown ahead of him shows that West Virginia feels comfortable putting the young tackle into the lineup right away.
The right side of the line will also feature Carson Casey.
Now the question becomes how the young tackle holds up once the games begin.
The quarterback situation is still interesting
The quarterback position is probably the most interesting part of the entire depth chart, even though the chart does not officially name a starter.
Michael Hawkins Jr., Scotty Fox Jr., Jyron Houghley, and Max Brown are all listed with “or” next to their names, which leaves the position technically undecided.
However, that does not mean there is not a clear favorite.
There have been reports that Hawkins is expected to be the starting quarterback, and that is still the expectation heading into the season. Hawkins transferred to West Virginia from Oklahoma and has battled Fox throughout the offseason, with Hawkins appearing to have the edge as the season approaches.
While the depth chart does not officially give Hawkins the QB1 title, the reporting surrounding the team suggests he is still the player most likely to take the first snap against Coastal Carolina.
West Virginia has some experience at the top of the receiver room
Jaden Bray, DJ Epps, and John Neider are listed as the starting receivers, giving the Mountaineers a group that should have plenty of opportunities to make an impact in the passing game.
Bray is the most experienced name of the three and should be one of the players the quarterback can rely on, while Epps and Neider are looking to take another step forward.
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Behind them, West Virginia has Cyrus Traugh, Armoni Weaver-Bomar, Cam Ball, Toran Francis, and Landon Drumm, so there is plenty of depth to work with.
With a new quarterback expected to take over, getting that group comfortable early could be one of the more important parts of the offense.
Tight end remains another spot to watch
The tight end position is another one where the depth chart leaves questions unanswered.
Josh Sapp, Ryan Ward, and Kade Bush are all listed with “or” next to their names, meaning West Virginia is keeping the competition open at the position heading into the season.
Sapp, a transfer from Clemson, brings experience to the room, but Ward and Bush are still right there with him on the depth chart. That makes this another position where we could see multiple players get opportunities early in the season.
With the quarterback situation also using the “or” designation, there are still some pieces of the passing game that have not been completely settled.
Plenty of questions on the defensive side
The defense has several players who will be taking on important roles, and the first depth chart gives us a better idea of who will be expected to do it.
Zeke Durham-Campbell is listed as the starting EDGE, while Corey McIntyre Jr. gets the nod at defensive tackle and Nate Gabriel is at nose guard. Ben Cutter is listed as the starting MIKE, with Tyler Stolsky at WILL.
In the secondary, Geimere Latimer II is at N/S, Andrew Powdrell is at free safety and Kamari Wilson is at bandit, with Nick Taylor listed at RCB.
There are some familiar names throughout that group, but there are also players who will be stepping into bigger roles than they have had in the past. How quickly those players adjust will be something to watch for once West Virginia gets into game action Saturday.
Final thoughts
The first depth chart gives us a pretty good idea of where West Virginia stands heading into the opener, even if there are still a few things that can change between now and kickoff.
Brown getting the starting job at left tackle confirms what many expected coming into the season, while the quarterback spot remains unconfirmed for now. Even with the “or” listed beside four names, Hawkins is still the name to watch based on the reports coming out of camp.
Now, after months of talking about these position battles, West Virginia is getting closer to finding out what the players at the top of the depth chart can actually do when the lights come on.
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