The Three WVU Football Freshmen Who Could Steal Snaps by Week One

Originally posted on West Virginia Mountaineers on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 10:26 AM ET

The massive roster turnover in Morgantown this offseason will lead to West Virginia playing a ton of transfers, many of whom are seniors. There will be a few positions, though, where some true freshmen could get worked into the mix, albeit in a limited capacity.

Who could that be?

DL Taylor Brown

Height: 6'3" Weight: 250 lbs

Hometown: Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Offers: Buffalo, James Madison, Marshall, Memphis, Pitt, Temple, West Virginia.

Analysis: Brown has tremendous athleticism and speed, which is something that Zac Alley is specifically looking for. Looks to be capable of playing anywhere between a 3 and a 5-technique, and will likely be used more so on the edge. Even with a rather thin defensive line group, I'm not sure that he'll play a significant role this fall, but I do believe he'll get in for at least four games and not just in garbage time. If he plays well early, it could allow him to forgo a redshirt.

DL Wilnerson Telemaque

Height: 6'6" Weight: 252 lbs

Hometown: Miami Gardens, Florida

Offers: Akron, Bowling Green, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Colorado, Duke, Florida, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Georgia Southern, Illinois, Indiana, Liberty, Louisville, LSU, Maryland, Miami (OH), Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Pitt, SMU, Syracuse, Temple, Texas A&M, Toledo, UConn, USF, Wake Forest, West Virginia.

Analysis: Of the dozen or so true freshmen West Virginia will have on the roster, Telemaque is the one who stands out as having the best chance to see the field. Tremendous upside as a pass rusher, although he was limited to three sacks last season. There are a couple of JUCO transfers that may have the first crack at earning a role, but I wouldn't be surprised if Telemaque surpassed them within the first month or so of the season.

LB Mike Hastie

Height: 6'3" Weight: 222 lbs

Hometown: Douglasville, Georgia

Offers: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Boston College, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina, Duke, East Carolina, Florida State, Georgia State, Indiana, Kansas, Liberty, Louisville, Marshall, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pitt, SMU, Texas A&M, UAB, UCF, UConn, UNLV, Wake Forest, Western Kentucky, West Virginia.

Analysis: Reid Carrico, Ben Cutter, Chase Wilson, and John Lewis - those are the only four backers who have legitimate experience at this level. They'll need a fifth and sixth guy to emerge to really feel comfortable, so why not Hastie? Start him out on special teams and slowly work him into the linebacker rotation. He plays fast and is a tackling machine. In his senior year, he racked up 172 stops, 105 of which were solo tackles.