True freshman Nate Gabriel has been highly productive for WVU after stepping up for an injured veteran.
Gabriel is 6-foot-3 and weighs 315 pounds. He was a 3-star recruit coming out of Auburndale High School (Auburndale, FL.) and received offers from East Carolina, Illinois, Kansas State, Liberty, Marshall, Troy, Tulane, UCF, USF, Western Michigan, and several others.
“Nate Gabriel is playing a lot. He will continue to play. His role will continue to increase,” West Virginia head coach Neal Brown said.
His role significantly increased after senior defensive lineman Edward Vesterinen suffered a right leg injury in Week 2 against Albany. Gabriel played 25 snaps that week but only saw nine snaps in the next game, the Backyard Brawl. In a matchup against Big 12 opponent Kansas, Gabriel played 15 out of the 72 defensive snaps.
Through three games this year, Gabriel has recorded five total tackles and half a tackle for loss.
