Eight Mountaineers fighting for roster spots after going undrafted

Now that the 2025 NFL Draft has concluded, eight Mountaineers have either signed as undrafted free agents or received rookie mini-camp invites to keep their football careers alive. 

Kole Taylor

Tight end Kole Taylor signed with the Cincinnati Bengals Saturday night as a free agent after not hearing his name called during the draft. Taylor had 43 receptions for 448 yards and three touchdowns in the 2024 season for the Mountaineers. He was voted an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention after the season. The 6-foot-7 tight end had a solid showing at the Big 12 Pro Day, running a 4.93 40-yard dash, putting up 21 reps on the bench press, and a 4.53 shuttle time. 

Austin Brinkman

The former Mountaineer long snapper signed with the Houston Texans as a free agent Saturday night. Brinkman was one of two Mountaineers to receive a Senior Bowl invite following the 2025 season, alongside teammate and third-round draft selection Wyatt Milum. He was named to multiple preseason long snapper watch lists and was named a semi-finalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award following the season. 

Fatorma Mulbah

Defensive lineman Fatorma Mulbah signed with the New York Jets as a free agent Saturday night. After transferring from Penn State, the defensive lineman recorded 50 tackles and a sack in his two seasons with the Mountaineers. At Big 12 Pro Day, Mulbah put up 28 reps on the bench press, had a 4.59 shuttle time, and vertically jumped 32.5 inches. 

Ty French

After only one season at the FBS level, Ty French was able to get a rookie mini-camp invite from the San Francisco 49ers’. The former West Virginia SPUR spent four seasons at Gardner-Webb before transferring to play under Neal Brown. French was the 2022 Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year. French had 22 tackles last year for the Mountaineers. 

TJ Jackson

Defensive lineman TJ Jackson signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent. Jackson spent his first four seasons at Troy before transferring to West Virginia for his final season. In the 2024 season, he totaled 40 tackles and led the team with 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. This was enough to earn him an All-Big 12 First Team selection following the season. 

Garrett Greene

After deciding to enter the draft as a wide receiver, Garrett Greene did not hear his name called Saturday night. Shortly after the draft ended, Greene signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent. Greene threw for 2,300 yards and 15 touchdowns last season for the Mountaineers while also rushing for seven touchdowns as a quarterback. At Big 12 Pro Day this season, Greene placed second amongst the receivers with a 4.08 shuttle time and also ran a 4.5 40-yard dash.

Garnett Hollis Jr.

After not hearing his name called during the draft, cornerback Garnett Hollis Jr. signed as an undrafted free agent to the Tennessee Titans. Last season, he had 46 tackles, six pass deflections, and a fumble recovery for the Mountaineers. Hollis played one season in Morgantown and three at Northwestern. 

Nick Malone

Offensive lineman Nick Malone received an invite to the Miami Dolphins rookie mini-camp Sunday afternoon. Malone played right tackle for the Mountaineers for the 2024 season, where he allowed three sacks and put up 51 knockdown blocks. Malone walked on at West Virginia and received the Tommy Nickolich Award in 2022. He earned All-Big 12 honorable mention honors after last season.