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3 WVU Sophomores Poised For a Breakout Season

West Virginia could be relying on some young stars to emerge in 2020

West Virginia was one of the youngest teams in college football in 2019 and will still have a relatively young roster in 2020. Many of the Mountaineers' main contributors from last year are entering their second or third year in the program. So, today we look at which sophomores are capable of having a breakout season.

WR Bryce Wheaton

You could make the case for Ali Jennings or Winston Wright Jr. also being on this list and I wouldn't disagree with you one bit. I wanted to highlight some of the other positions so one receiver it is. Bryce Wheaton is entering his third year in the program as a redshirt sophomore and spent his first year learning behind guys like Gary Jennings, David Sills V, and Marcus Simms. He has the biggest build of any receiver on the roster (6'3", 218-pounds) and if he can fine tune some areas of his game, he could easily become a go-to guy for the Mountaineers' offensive attack. 

CB Nicktroy Fortune

Fortune appeared in eleven games a year ago (two starts) and played his best football toward the end of the season. The way he played the last two to three games showed that he is learning and developing at a fast rate. He has experience going up against some of the best receivers in the Big 12 and although he got burned a few times, it can be teaching moments for him. Fortune has a really high ceiling and could be a stellar corner for the Mountaineers for years to come.

OL James Gmiter

In 2019 as a redshirt freshman, Gmiter played in all 12 games and notched 10 starts. He progressed throughout the season and became one of West Virginia's best lineman aside from Colton McKivitz. The Mountaineers offensive line struggled as a unit a year ago, but having Gmiter returning with experience should help the interior of that line.

Who do you think will have a breakout season for the Mountaineers in 2020? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

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