By Keenan Cummings
WVU will be a busy place the next couple weeks.
That’s because June brings one-day prospect camps for the football program and offers the coaching staff a valuable opportunity for in-person evaluation with targets.
The Mountaineers opened the camp season Monday and already played host to several key options on the recruiting trail, led by offered Savannah, Ga., athlete Winston Wright. The dynamic player could line up at wide receiver or cornerback in college, and was one of the more impressive players during the first showcase of his speed and versatility.
WVU sits on top for Wright; a decision isn’t expected until later.
The program also played host to a pair of underclassman quarterbacks who, while they have yet to receive a scholarship offer, are high on the board after impressive performances: Suffield (Conn.) Academy 2020 signal caller Tyler Van Dyke and Toledo (Ohio) Whitmer 2020 option Riley Keller.
Both have major offers under their belts and threw the ball well at the camp.
And that was just the first camp. The Mountaineers will host others Monday, June 16, 18 and 21, and July 27 and 28. The annual 7-on-7 camp is June 22-23, and along with the big man camp will bring a slew of talented prospects to campus.
The Mountaineers have been successful in getting players on campus for camps to prove their mettle and see where they stand in regards to a scholarship offer. In last year’s class alone, Fairmont defensive end Dante Stills initially received his offer at camp along with Ohio linebacker Josh Chandler.
The list spans over the years as well with an impressive group represented.
“There is a heavy limitation on how much you can actually see the kids play football, and while the camps aren’t truly a game, you can see them move around and be able to coach them from your own coaches’ perspective,” director of player personnel Ryan Dorchester said.
That means coaches can do their own testing to see how potential prospects fit into the program and find out how they take to their individual coaching as well. It is an invaluable tool and often signals the start of a wave of commitments for the program as new offers go out and others are validated.
It should be a fun summer on the recruiting front.
Keenan Cummings is the Senior Writer for WVSports.com with the Rivals.com/Yahoo Network.
