MORGANTOWN — West Virginia had just one player drafted in this year’s NFL Draft, Wyatt Milum to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Milum was projected as a third-round pick and was selected as such, adding to the Jaguars’ offensive line that needs to protect franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
There were multiple NFL Draft experts that liked the pick. Milum has a lot of upside and in the closing days was jumping up draft boards as far as to the first round potentially being selected by the Philadelphia Eagles. There were some concerns over his arm length, but it was overlooked because of his production at WVU.
Milum was picked in the third, but still warranted a trade up from the Jaguars. He still was seen as a great value pick.
“Guard Wyatt Milum was perfect value on the offensive front (my 89th prospect, going No. 89),” ESPN Draft Expert Mel Kiper Jr. said.
Milum fits well in an organization that’s attempting to turn things around with a new general manager and head coach. The franchise is building around Lawrence, who is the second-highest paid quarterback by year and the second-highest total contract value, so the offensive line was a point of emphasis. The Jaguars also drafted a center in the later rounds to add depth and signed four linemen in free agency.
The Jaguars offensive line last season allowed 41 sacks last season, which isn’t horrible compared to the rest of the league. But Lawrence suffered a concussion last year on an ugly hit that kept him out for three games, ending his season, so keeping him upright is urgent.
Milum was selected as a guard, but he could play anywhere on the line. Milum probably won’t be a Day 1 starter with the signing of Baltimore Ravens right guard Patrick Mekari, but could definitely see action sometime this season.
Marshall to part ways with AD Christian Spears
Marshall announced Monday afternoon that the university won’t be renewing athletic director Christian Spears’ contract when it expires in March of 2026, and will be in the market for another leader of the athletics department. Spears will remain the athletic director until the school finds a successor, whether that takes as little as a month or until 2026.
Spears has been the AD since 2022, after his position at Pitt as the deputy athletic director, and signed a contract through 2026 with the Thundering Herd. Spears was brought on to guide the move of Marshall into its new conference, the Sun Belt, from Conference USA.
Spears led the initiative to build a new ballpark that had been in talks but never started. With the help of donors, Jack Cook Field ballpark opened in March 2024. Facility upgrades were an emphasis under Spears, adding new video boards for football, baseball, softball and soccer. He also helped get a new football field, a new basketball court, a new Taraflex court for women’s volleyball, new lights for softball, and the complete renovation of the Gullickson Hall Gymnasium.
Performance-wise, the athletic program excelled. Marshall won the Sun Belt in football and was bowl-eligible every year. He hired women’s basketball coach Kim Caldwell, who led her team to the NCAA Tournament in Year 1 and won Sun Belt Coach of the Year. Marshall men’s soccer also went to the College Cup this year, eventually losing to Vermont.
In the fall Learfield Directors’ Cup, which ranks all Division I athletic departments, Marshall ranked 72nd in the nation and first in the Sun Belt. After the winter sports concluded, Marshall ranked 123rd in the rankings.
The issue for Spears was retaining coaches. Success has been closely followed by a coaching departure. Caldwell, after leading her squad to the postseason, was picked up by Tennessee to be the Lady Vols’ next coach.
The same situation happened with football. Head coach Charles Huff led the Herd to a 10-3 season, and Spears couldn’t work out a deal to keep him, losing him to Southern Mississippi. Huff had so many players transfer with him that Marshall took a $100,000 fine to opt out of the bowl game because they couldn’t field a competitive roster.
There could be other factors leading to Spears’ departure behind the scenes, but the glaring issue was what happened with Huff.
Marshall president Brad Smith will have some time to find a replacement because it’s not urgent. Spears has already hired former NC State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson to replace Huff. Spears will remain the AD until Marshall finds someone, too, so there’s no need to rush.
In 2021, Smith and then President Jerome A. Gilbert formed a nine-person search committee to find Spears, which most likely will be done again in this search.
