ESPN Predicts Who Will Be West Virginia's Top Three Transfers in 2025

Originally posted on West Virginia Mountaineers on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated May 14, 2025 8:45 AM ET

It's difficult to predict which transfers will make the biggest impact, especially when so many of them are making the jump up from lower levels. It's even more challenging to pick when there are well over 60 newcomers and counting.

ESPN recently pegged WR Cam Vaughn, EDGE Jimmori Robinson, and CB Michael Coats Jr. as the team's top newcomers for West Virginia, and to be honest, I can't disagree. Here's a quick look at each of them.

WR Cam Vaughn (Jacksonville State)

Vaughn was a massive get for the Mountaineers in the first transfer portal window. They essentially lost all of their production from a year ago, with the exception of Rodney Gallagher III, so they desperately needed to get an explosive playmaker. The best thing about Vaughn? He still has three years of eligibility remaining and is just scratching the surface as a receiver. He was a quarterback in high school.

EDGE Jimmori Robinson (UTSA)

Robinson put together one heck of a 2024 campaign, racking up 43 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks. At season's end, he was named the American Athletic Conference's Defensive Player of the Year. He has the look of someone who can make a significant impact on a rebuilding defense and perhaps play his way into being a draft pick next spring.

CB Michael Coats Jr. (Nevada)

Coats is a lockdown corner that Zac Alley will be able to trust and put on an island anytime he wants. Last season, he was one of the best cover corners in all of college football, sitting near the top of the leaderboard in passes defended (17). It'll be interesting to see how he adjusts to Power Four football, but if the transition goes smoothly, he could be an all-league caliber player.