Class of 2023 linebacker James Heard Jr. committed to West Virginia following his official visit on June 3. Although Heard waited until his visit to make his commitment official, the four-star recruit knew Morgantown was his home back in April.
For Heard, a 6-foot-2 outside linebacker from Philadelphia, WVU’s program was always a top consideration throughout his commitment process. Heard said the defensive scheme and coaching staff stood out to him, and as he made multiple unofficial trips to Morgantown, he started to feel like WVU was home.
As a four-star recruit, Heard knew he could fit in on West Virginia’s defense. He was confident in the football aspects of WVU, saying the program “checked every box,” so on his official visit he primarily focused on seeing how his future teammates and coaches interacted in person.
“The best part was spending time with the other recruits,” Heard said. “Being around the coaches and all of the recruits at the same time was cool to be a part of.”
Although this was the first time all of the commits were together, Heard said they had already established a foundation of communication and friendship prior to their visits.
“We started a group chat back in December and we knew that West Virginia was going to be the move,” Heard said. “We communicate every day and we’ve been building a relationship before we even get there.”
Heard is confident that the relationships developed within his class will translate on the field and allow them to be successful as teammates.
Heard is also confident in his individual skills, saying that his ability to bend the corner and get around the tackle has given him an edge within his recruiting process. He knows that with his skills and mindset, he can be a role model on and off the field.
“I’m really able to lead without being the vocal player,” Heard said. “I lead by example by doing what I’m supposed to do on and off the field.”
Heard acknowledged two coaches, Chad Scott and Jordan Lesley, for consistently vocalizing their confidence in his skills throughout his commitment process. Heard said he developed a valuable relationship with each coach, something that he considers to be rare in this age of recruiting.
“There’s a lot of coaches in the football world who say how much they love and want you, but a lot of times it isn’t really that way,” said Heard. “Coach Scott and coach Lesley were consistent on expressing how they felt about me and my game.”
While Heard was impressed by the coaching staff, he was also impressed by WVU’s campus and student life. He said walking around campus gave him a “real feel” of college life, something that he is looking forward to.
“I’m looking forward to learning,” he said. “I’m ready to learn how to improve my game and I’m looking forward to the academic aspect as well.”
As a hardworking student and athlete, Heard is ready to bring his talents to Morgantown and put WVU football back on the map.
“The class of 2023 is coming to turn it up,” he said. “We’re coming with a whole lot of energy and style, and we’re ready to put the Mountaineers back on top.”
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