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MORGANTOWN, W.Va.
With just 39 players back from its 2025 roster, the Mountaineer football team is going to rely a great deal on newcomers this coming season.
WVU does return a handful of letterwinners from last season, including quarterback Scotty Fox, offensive linemen Nick Krahe and Landen Livingston, tight end Ryan Ward, wide receiver Jaden Bray, defensive linemen Nate Gabriel and Corey McIntyre, linebackers Ben Cutter and Ashton Woods and defensive backs Nick Taylor and Keyshawn Robinson.
This coming years squad returns others who, although seeing limited game action last season, may be significant contributors in 26.
Here is one of those at each position: Quarterback Max Brown (6-2, 235 lbs., Sr.).
Brown figures to be West Virginias QB3 heading into the 2026 season, as Fox and Mike Hawkins are expected to battle it out for the starting job.
In todays world of frequent transfers, WVU is actually fortunate to have a third quarterback who has a great deal of past college game experience.
In his four previous seasons split between Florida (2022-23), Charlotte (2024) and West Virginia (2025), Brown has played in 14 games, starting five of them.
In that time, hes completed a total of 63 of his 124 passes for 760 yards with eight interceptions and three touchdowns, while also running for 132 net yards on 58 carries.
Though he needs to show better accuracy throwing the football, his size and athleticism make him dangerous running it.
He provides WVU a solid third-string quarterback, which is something that cant be overlooked because last year, the Mountaineers had four different quarterbacks miss substantial time with injury before Fox finally took the reins at that position in the second half of the season.
Running back Andre Devine (5-7, 163 lbs., Soph.).
The son of WVU Sports Hall of Famer and current West Virginia assistant coach Noel Devine, Andre spent the 2024 season at Jacksonville State and the 2025 campaign at WVU, though hes not yet played in a college game.
Andre has shown a nice burst, but few could match his father in that category.
And while Noel was far from big (5-8, 180 lbs.), Andres lack of weight has made it hard for him to get into game action so far.
Andre is entering his third year in Rich Rodriguezs offensive system, though, and he showed some promise in the spring.
Hes not going to supplant either Cam Cook or Amari Latimer at the top of West Virginias running back depth chart, but he could be in a position to compete for the No.
3 or No.
4 RB, either of whom would figure to see playing time this season.
He also could be in line for some special teams duty as a returner.
Wide receiver Cyrus Traugh (6-0, 196 lbs., Jr.).
An outstanding multi-sport athlete at Parkersburg South (W.Va.) High School, Traugh spent his first two college seasons at Youngstown State, where he caught 39 passes for 490 yards and five touchdowns over 14 games.
He transferred to WVU prior to the 2025 season, and while his use with the Mountaineers was limited last year (two games played, no receptions), Rodriguez has loved the heart and hustle of the 2026 Tommy Nickolich Memorial Award winner.
With little experience returning at receiver this year, the opportunity is available for Traugh to earn playing time, be it with the offense and/or special teams.
Tight end Carter Zuliani (6-6, 254 lbs., RFr.).
Part of state championship-winning football, basketball and swim teams at Bridgeport (W.Va.) High School in 2024-25, Zuliani initially arrived at WVU with the idea hed be a defensive end, but his display of athleticism on the scout teams brought about his move to tight end.
Hes got the skill to be a weapon as a pass catcher and the size to be an excellent blocker.
There is a great deal of competition facing Zuliani at tight end this year, but hes a compelling candidate for playing time at that position.
Offensive linemen Malik Agbo (6-4, 292 lbs., Sr.).
A native of Federal Way, Washington, Agbo spent three years at Texas, where he played in 32 games, splitting his time between tight end and tackle.
He transferred to WVU last season and immediately became a depth piece for the Mountaineers offensive line, playing in all 12 games, starting one of those.
This year he hopes to lock down a starting job full time, and in the spring, he showed hes capable of handling that role.
Hes going to have to hold off blue-chip freshman Kevin Brown, though, if hes going be West Virginias starting right tackle.
Defensive lineman Wilnerson Telemaque (6-6, 268 lbs., RFr.).
The size and athletic ability of Telemaque, a native of Miami Gardens, Florida, make him an intriguing prospect in a Mountaineer defensive line that doesnt return a single starter from last season.
He played in two games for WVU in 2025, though he didnt record any stats.
Hes added needed weight and strength since arriving at West Virginia last year, and he appears ready to contribute at defensive end Linebacker Cam Torbor (6-3, 239 lbs., RFr.).
A native of Hoover, Alabama, Torbors father, Reggie Torbor, played football at Auburn and then spent eight seasons in the NFL.
Despite his football DNA, Cams athletic interest was initially focused on basketball until he was talked into trying football as a junior at Hoover High School.
After a year learning the sport, he developed into a first-team all-state linebacker as a senior in 2024.
He signed with West Virginia as part of its class of 25 and played in three games for the Mountaineers last year, recording one tackle.
He continued to show progress this past spring and now is expected to compete for playing time at WVUs two linebacker positions (middle and weak-side), which contain just two other returnees (Ben Cutter and Ashton Woods) who saw playing time for West Virginia last season.
Defensive back ChaMarryus Bomar (5-10, 191 lbs., RFr.).
Playing alongside his brother, Armoni Weaver, who is now a receiver at WVU, Bomar was an excellent all-around prep player who helped lead Westside (S.C.) High School to a 14-2 record and a runner-up finish in the states 2024 class AAAA playoffs.
In that senior season, Bomar had 27 tackles and five interceptions, including two pick-sixes, as well as 1,293 receiving yards with 19 touchdowns and 288 kick return yards on eight opportunities.
He played in two games for the Mountaineers last year, and now hes looking for more opportunities at cornerback in a West Virginia secondary that returns just two DBs who saw any game action in 25 (Keyshawn Robinson and Nick Taylor).
Specialist Nate Flower (6-2, 184 lbs., Jr.).
With the Mountaineers adding transfers at both placekicker (Jack Cassidy and Peter Notaro) and punter (Bryan Hansen), Flower has gotten lost in the discussion by outsiders about the Mountaineers kicking battles.
But the Fairmont, West Virginia, native shouldnt be forgotten, as he proved his worth last year handling kickoffs.
WVU had touchbacks on just 15% of its kickoffs until Flower took over those duties in the second half of the season, and he increased that number to 46%.
A former two-time all-state soccer player at Fairmont Senior High School, Flower also showed solid field goal kicking skills in practice, though he hasnt been called on for a FG or PAT in a game yet.
He was also a very good punter in high school, so he figures to give all the transfer specialists plenty of competition for those jobs this season.