Heading into the 2025 season, the West Virginia football team faces some serious question marks about its wide receiver room. Read more: WVU’s WR Room Full of Newcomers and Untapped Potential
Unlike the quarterback and running back positions, there is no clear number one contender or high-impact returner in WVU’s wide receiver group. This leaves a lot of speculation about who is going to be leading the charge.
In the third edition of reviewing WVU’s position groups, we will assess the Mountaineer receivers and determine who may lead the way for head coach Rich Rodriguez’s return.
An Athletic Freshman Class
Before we get into the bulk of West Virginia’s receivers, let’s first look at the trio of freshmen on the roster. This impressive class is made up of Armoni Weaver, Camdon Pitchford and Tyshwan Dues.
Weaver is a 5-foot-9, 161-pound receiver out of South Carolina. Rated as a three-star athlete, he excelled on both sides of the field in high school, playing wide receiver and cornerback. With 247Sports rating him the No. 76 cornerback in South Carolina, there’s a chance that Weaver could make an impact defensively for the Mountaineers as well.
Coming to Morgantown at 5-foot-9, 163 pounds, Pitchford brings a pure athletic background with him. Alongside football, Pitchford was a standout high school basketball and tennis player.
West Virginia native Dues joins the team at 5-foot-10, 171 pounds. A product of Hurricane High School, Dues was rated the No. 1 player in the state by ESPN. He also played on both sides, showcasing his athletic potential.
More New Faces
Aside from the incoming freshman, the Mountaineers have six new faces that came through the transfer portal.
Oran Singleton Jr. transfers in from Eastern Michigan, where he spent just one year with the team. In that one season, he led the Eagles with 64 receptions, 639 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He proved that he was a reliable, sure-handed receiver, having seven or more receptions in six games. Often called a “jitterbug,” Singleton’s speed and quickness will prove dangerous in Rodriguez’s scheme.
Another highly touted transfer is Jaden Bray, a former Oklahoma State receiver. Bray had spent all four years with the Cowboys, but injuries plagued his 2024 campaign. Before a season-ending leg injury, Bray had two catches for 88 yards — coincidentally, both went for 44 yards. Despite a small sample size, Bray showcased his deep threat abilities with 382 yards on 30 catches in 2023.
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Justin Smith-Brown comes to Morgantown after playing the past four years at S.C. State. With the Bulldogs, he amassed 1,196 yards on 81 catches, including 54 receptions for 749 yards last season. The 2024 All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference First Team honoree excels in yards after the catch and is also a solid blocker, earning a 71.8 blocking grade from PFF last season.
Christian Hamilton joins WVU after transferring in from North Carolina. The former 4-star recruit did not see much action with the Tar Heels, recording just 7 catches for 51 yards and a touchdown last season. He previously faced the Mountaineers in the 2023 Mayo Bowl, where he recorded all three of his receptions in the season.
Logan Ramper and Cyrus Traugh are a pair of transfers from smaller schools. Ramper comes from Slippery Rock, where he became the program leader in receiving touchdowns, yards per reception and receiving yards per game. Traugh transferred from Youngstown State, where he was second on the team last season with 36 receptions for 409 yards.
Same Coach, Different School
Among the long list of transfers to join the wide receiver room, three more transfers followed Rodriguez to West Virginia.
One of the key players that followed is standout receiver Cam Vaughn. As a redshirt freshman last season, Vaughn led the Gamecocks with 48 catches for 803 yards and five touchdowns. Those efforts earned him a spot on the All-Conference USA Freshman Team.
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Former Martinsburg standout Jarod Bowie also followed Rodriguez back home to WVU. The West Virginia native caught 13 passes for 207 yards last season, including a season-high 105 yards in the Cure Bowl. His pure athleticism could allow him to contribute not only on offense but also on special teams for the Mountaineers.
The final receiver to team up with Rodriguez at WVU is Jordan McCants. While only recording 15 catches for 146 yards last season, McCants started all 12 games and is fully aware of Rodriguez’s system.
Back For Another Year
In the new landscape of college football, it’s almost rare to have players stay on the same team, especially after a new coach has arrived. The Mountaineers have three receivers from last season who returned for another year.
Arguably, the one that will have the most impact in Rodriguez’s system is Rodney Gallagher III. The former 4-star recruit has yet to see his potential blossom with the Mountaineers, having just 288 yards on 26 receptions last season. Still, Gallagher is a great athlete and should see more productivity under Rodriguez.
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Preston Fox also returns for his final year at West Virginia. The Morgantown native has proved to be a reliable target and a threat in special teams. In 11 kickoff returns last season, he averaged 27.6 yards per return.
Jarel Williams is the final receiver returning for the Mountaineers. The redshirt junior has primarily contributed on special teams at WVU but did record a 17-yard reception in last season’s bowl game.
The Final Verdict
In total, that makes 15 wide receivers on WVU’s roster. It’s a crowded room filled with varying skill levels, old and new faces.
This group has a lot to prove heading into the season. Most are new to the program and have not had the greatest success in college.
With that being said, this group is still talented in many ways. Both Singleton and Gallagher offer a gadget-type role that Rodriguez can take full advantage of. Smith-Brown and Bray offer a deep threat on the outside that will cause headaches for opposing defenses. Then, Vaughn’s knowledge of the scheme and explosiveness after the catch will properly round out the group.
Rodriguez may be known as a ground-game specialist, but the under-the-radar wide receiver group WVU boasts could allow him to dig deep into his bag of passing plays.
WVU’s WR Room Full of Newcomers and Untapped Potential
