The NFL draft is officially here, and eight Mountaineers are hoping to get their names called this weekend for a chance to make a professional career.
Headlining this group is senior left guard Wyatt Milum. The four-year West Virginia product has always known he was an NFL talent, but it was not until 2023 that the rest of the country began to see what he was capable of. In that season, he played almost every snap, leading an offensive line who were the catalyst for the best rushing team in Power 5 football. He was immediately on everyone’s draft board for this season.
Milum is a projected third-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Although many teams see Milum as a guard in the league due to his size, he is still seen as a value guy for any struggling offensive line. As of today, NFL insiders project Milum to be drafted by the Broncos, Vikings, Lions, or 49ers in the middle of the third round.
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein had this to say about Milum’s game: “He is tough, strong, and assignment-oriented. Milum possesses the frame and mentality of an NFL player. It’s hard to get excited about his prospects as a tackle due to his shorter arms, but there is no reason to believe Milum can’t bump inside to guard and offer tackle depth in a pinch. He plays with heavy hands in pass protection and has ideal instincts to sniff out twists and stop them in their tracks. He’s hard to bull-rush or push around in the running game, but he will slip and slide off sustained blocks at times due to a narrowing base. His physical profile, play strength, and football intelligence could have him ready as an early starter for gap-scheme teams.”
The other seven Mountaineers in the draft are simply looking to hear their names. With a lot of unknowns for many of these players, just being on a team at the end of the weekend will be a sign of relief.
Garrett Greene
West Virginia’s quarterback announced that he was entering the draft back in December, but was changing his position to Wide receiver. Greene threw for 5,370 yards and 36 touchdowns, while running for 2,136 yards and 28 touchdowns during his five-year career. He is projected to be an unrestricted free agent.
Anthony Wilson
Wilson led the Mountaineers in tackles this season with 182. He also added seven pass deflections and a touchdown on the year. He was the Mountaineers’ first player to enter the NFL draft and is expected to be drafted late on the second day or become an unrestricted free agent.
Nick Malone
The offensive tackle, who grew up in West Virginia and played six seasons for the Mountaineers, entered the draft. He began as a walk-on at WVU before earning a scholarship in 2022. He is projected to be an unrestricted free agent.
TJ Jackson
Jackson entered the draft after only one season with the Mountaineers. He finished with Jackson tallied 40 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery on the year, and was a first-team Big-12 selection. He is another projected unrestricted free agent.
Garnett Hollis Jr
Hollis Jr is another one-year Mountaineer who entered the draft. The Nashville, Tennessee, native spent his first four seasons at Northwestern University, recording 78 tackles and two interceptions while with the Wildcats. With West Virginia, Hollis recorded 46 tackles and a fumble recovery after appearing in all 13 of their games. He is a projected unrestricted free agent.
Tyrin Bradley
Bradley committed to the draft after two seasons with the Mountaineers. He finished with 78 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions, and two fumble recoveries in those two years. He is projected to be an unrestricted free agent in the draft.
Ja’Quay Hubbard
Hubbard is a sixth-year senior who played five seasons in Morgantown. The offensive tackle is another Mountaineer big guy who has played his way into the draft. He is still projected to be an unrestricted free agent, but it a promising prospect.
The draft, which begins tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET, is the beginning of the next chapter of all of these athletes’ lives. Whether they hear their names or not, these Mountaineers will have a chance to prove their talent to a team in training camp this summer.
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