MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – One of the main goals for Neal Brown throughout the spring is acclimating the new additions, especially the transfer players, to the WVU football program and making sure they know the lay of the land.
While it’s important to help guide the freshmen from the 2024 recruiting class, Brown knows the transfer players are the ones who need to be ready to have an immediate impact the most. Players transferring from one school to another, most notably if they are jumping to the Big 12 from another major conference, are doing so to play right away. And the reason West Virginia wanted them is the belief they can contribute in the fall.
Brown detailed his early thoughts on a few of his transfer additions while speaking with the media during the first week of spring practice. Wide receiver Jaden Bray, brought to Morgantown to step in as the new WR1 and veteran leader of a young position group, earned plenty of praise from Brown.
“He’s a natural ball catcher. He’s a really good football player,” said Brown about Bray. Brown then added that he’s been most impressed by Bray’s humility, mobility and work ethic. Bray, of course, brings big game experience to a team looking to win big games, having played in multiple Big 12 Championship Games at Oklahoma State.
Other than Bray, Ohio State transfer Reid Carrico is another high profile transfer for West Virginia. Brown simply said he “likes how he plays” when referring to Carrico’s game and says he’ll fit right into the Mountaineers’ defensive system.
TJ Jackson, another important piece joining the fold, is ready for Big 12 action, says Brown. “He’s going to be a factor for us,” predicted Brown about the former Troy defensive lineman with conviction.
Brown also mentioned offensive lineman Xavier Bausley, a player who will be advancing up a level of college football, coming to West Virginia after from playing under Rich Rodriguez at Jacksonville State. “I like his athleticism,” Brown said about Bausley. He cited liking Bausley’s raw tools as well.
The hope for Brown is that these transfers, and the other notable newcomers in Garnett Hollis and Jaheem Joseph, can be a factor like Beanie Bishop and Kole Taylor were for the 2023 Mountaineers.
On top of the new WVU football transfers, click here for a refresher on the key players West Virginia was able to retain and those who departed the program.
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