COMMENTARY BY KENNAN CUMMINGS | Sports@DominionPost.com
West Virginia will host the final set of official visitors ahead of the looming early signing period and the Mountaineers will welcome a number of interesting prospects to Morgantown.
The current commitment counter sits at 15 with the Dec. 18-20 signing period rapidly approaching but there is still work to do when it comes to filling out the class.
While the final numbers could vary, realistically the program could add between four to six more prospects by the time Neal Brown announces the class Wednesday afternoon inside the Puskar Center team room. That makes this final weekend an interesting one for several reasons.
One area that must be addressed with the remaining scholarships is along the offensive line and two uncommitted prospects will be among those on campus. Brooklyn (N.Y.) ASA College offensive tackle Tairiq Stewart is the more seasoned of the two after two seasons at the junior college level and could be looked at as a player that could step in and make an impact immediately.
Stewart is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and has a strong interest in the Mountaineers football program. He will have three years to play two and is set to graduate from ASA in May.
The second is from the high school ranks in Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha offensive lineman Jordan White. The Rivals.com three-star prospect was initially committed to Maryland before backing off that pledge and now the Mountaineers are one of two schools still in the race along with Syracuse. Depending on what unfolds this weekend, it could bode well for the future of the offensive line.
WVU also will host players up front on the opposite side of the ball with a pair of junior college defensive lineman in Milledgeville (Ga.) Georgia Military College defensive end Yaya Diaby and Senatobia (Miss.) Northwest Mississippi defensive end Justin Jackson expected on campus.
Diaby is originally from Georgia and received an offer from the program in October and things have only continued to progress from there. He has two years left on the field and is coming off a season which earned him first team NJCAA all-American honors. He is down to WVU, Louisville and Kansas State heading into this weekend’s trip after previously taking official visits to the other two. He is slated to be a January enrollee at the school he does select so the clock is ticking.
Diaby is being slotted as a defensive end or possibly even a hybrid bandit linebacker in the scheme.
Jackson has long been committed to Colorado since June but ever since the Mountaineers offered in October he has held an interest in the program. A bigger defensive lineman than Diaby, Jackson is slated as a true defensive end and this official visit could go a long way toward determining his final destination. He too is expected to have two years of eligibility left.
WVU also is expected to host five current commitments this weekend in Tallahassee (Fla.) Chiles quarterback Garrett Greene, Danville (Ky.) Boyle County wide receiver Reese Smith, Bay City (Mi.) Central wide receiver Devell Washington, Fairmont (W.Va.) Senior lineman Zach Frazier and Ramsey (N.J.) De Paul Catholic tight end Charles Finley with each having an opportunity to spend the weekend with their future coaching staff and learn more about the school.
A lot of moving pieces and not a lot of time to sort it out, but this weekend could help provide some clarity to the situation as we steam head first toward the early signing period.
