For some early signs that this offseason will be more successful than last year for WVU football, at least one major outlet appears very high on the current group of transfer additions.
With now 19 transfer players either signed or committed, West Virginia is firmly ranked inside the top 10 of On3 Sports’ 2026 Transfer Portal Rankings. This puts the Mountaineers at No. 2 among Big 12 schools, only behind reigning conference champion Texas Tech.
For another positive, On3 evaluators as the players being brought in are better than the ones who departed.
Conversely, another national outlet, 247 Sports, only ranks WVU at No. 33, a more common placement for the Mountaineers and one that’s a far cry from On3’s.
But regardless of any ranking, WVU fans are starting to see the fruits of Rich Rodriguez and his staff’s labor. After a rushed process with limited time and resources last year, they ended up being forced to look at players they hoped to evaluate. Most of those players did not pan out to be as good as they hoped. However, fast forward back to the present day and they have already added seven players leaving Power Four programs, several more that have Power Four experience at some point, the nation’s leading rusher and an increase in physical size on the offensive line.
Some notable transfer players:
QB Michael Hawkins Jr. (Oklahoma)
Hawkins’ decision to move from the SEC to West Virginia in the Big 12 will now provide Rich Rodriguez with the talented dual-threat quarterback to compete with incumbent Scotty Fox to lead the Mountaineers in 2026 and beyond.
Hawkins spent a weekend on an official visit with the West Virginia staff. Sources told WV Sports Now that he was WVU’s top transfer target.
In two seasons with the Sooners, the 6-foot-1, 196-pound Hawkins completed a total of 91-of-147 passes for 950 yards with six touchdown passes to two interceptions. He added 262 yards and a touchdown on the ground
A four-star recruit from the 2024 class, Hawkins drew offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina, Memphis, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina State, North Texas, Penn State, SMU, TCU, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech and a several others out of high school.
https://wvsportsnow.com/incoming-new-wvu-qb-michael-hawkins-makes-promise-to-mountaineer-nation/
RB Cam Cook (Jacksonville State)
Cam Cook (5-foot-11 and 200 pounds) will now bring his talents to West Virginia after an historic 2025 season with Jacksonville State. He ran for 1,659 yards on 295 carries for an average of 5.6 yards per touch. Cook score 16 touchdowns and also added 30 receptions and 296 yards as a receiver. His total came without even playing in the Gamecocks’ bowl game.
Cook was named Conference USA Player of the Year and to multiple major All-American teams.
Helping his transition from Conference USA, Cook is already familiar with the Big 12. Prior to transferring to Jacksonville State, Cook spent two years at TCU and totaled 608 yards and nine touchdowns off 135 rushing attempts with the Horned Frogs.
CB Geimere Latimer (Wisconsin)Â
Latimer will now reunite with Rich Rodriguez, who he played under for two years at Jacksonville State. In 27 games under Rodriguez, Latimer posted 56 tackles and picked off four passes.
With only one year remaining, Latimer will now finish his college eligibility in the Big 12 at WVU after spending the 2025 season in the Big Ten with Wisconsin. He made 23 tackles and caused a forced fumble with the Badgers.
Latimer has 79 total tackles across three college seasons to this point.
https://wvsportsnow.com/transfer-cb-geimere-latimer-sets-record-straight-on-why-west-virginia/
WR Prince Strachan (USC)
Wide out Prince Strachan, listed at 6-foot-5, 215-pounds, confirmed reports of his commitment on Jan. 4. He spent last season with USC after playing for Boise State for two years.
Strachan only appeared in one game with USC, catching a single pass for 25 yards. However, he made 25 receptions for 304 yards and scored a touchdown with the Broncos. While with Boise State, he made four big catches for 40 yards against Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl.
WR TaRon Francis (LSU)Â
Francis (6-foot-1 and 207 pounds) did not record any stats in his limited time as a true freshman in 2025 – he appeared in fives games and was mostly involved on special teams, but was a four-star prospect out of high school.
The New Orleans native has also heard from BYU, Louisville, Utah, Wake Forest and Washington State. He was considered a consensus four-star out of high school.
Francis’ bigger size makes him a unique target for the WVU offense based on the current wide receiver transfer commits and who was brought in as part of the 2026 recruiting class.
LB Malachi Hood (Illinois)Â
The addition of Hood, 6-foot-2, 235 pounds, provides West Virginia with a productive Power Four transfer with starting experience. Hood recorded 44 total tackles, 28 solo stops, a pass deflection, a sack and a forced fumble in 2025.
After jumping in the portal on the first day it opened on Jan. 2, Hood will jump from the Big Ten to the Big 12 with the possibility of two years of eligibility. Hood, who already has his degree, will have at least one more season left and would have two depending on the resolution of his attempt at a medical redshirt.
OL David Vass (Kansas State)Â
Vass, a redshirt sophomore, will have two years of eligibility remaining upon joining the Mountaineers.
The 6-foot-6, 308-pounder saw action in 11 of 12 games this season for the Wildcats, who finished the season at 6-6 overall after beginning the campaign ranked No. 17 in the AP poll.
Vass didn’t see any field action in 2024 after redshirting his true freshman season in 2023.
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For a related story, WV Sports Now put together a tracker to keep up with every incoming player.
