A Superstar. A Freshman Phenom. A Few Wild Cards. Inside WVU's RB Room

We kicked off our position previews for the 2026 West Virginia football season on Friday with the quarterbacks, and today, we'll move to the guys they will be handing the ball off to.

This is an intriguing group of running backs that the Mountaineers have assembled with two elite talents — one experienced, one not — and several youngsters vying for a role.

Projected depth chart

Running Backs coach — Jay Boulware (1st year at WVU)

SR Cam Cook (5'9', 203 lbs) — Round Rock, TX
FR Amari Latimer (5'10", 230 lbs) — Fairburn, GA
JR Martavious Boswell (5'9", 182 lbs) — Fort Worth, TX
FR Chris Talley (5'11", 194 lbs) — Memphis, TN
FR Lawrence Autry (5'10", 221 lbs) — Olive Branch, MS
R-So. Andre Devine (5'7", 160 lbs) — North Fort Myers, FL
R-So. Darius Morant (6'0", 226 lbs) — Hempstead, NY

The Superstar: Cam Cook

Career stats: 430 carries, 2,177 yards, 25 TDs | 48 receptions for 361 yards

Rich Rodriguez was elated when he found out that Jacksonville State transfer Cam Cook would be coming to West Virginia. Several other Power Four schools were in hot pursuit of him this past winter, but at the end of the day, his connections to the coaching staff and the run-heavy scheme won him over.

Last season, he led the entire country with 1,659 yards, while leading Conference USA with 16 rushing scores. He shouldered a heavy load, toting the ball 295 times in 2025, the third-most in all of college football, behind only Kewan Lacy (Ole Miss) and Cale Hellums (Army).

Diving a little deeper into the numbers, it's easy to see why Cook put up mind-boggling numbers. He racked up 92 missed tackles forced on the season and averaged 3.88 yards after contact per attempt — anything around 4.0 yards in that category is considered elite. 49 of his carries were 10+ yards, and in three games he recorded eight carries that reached that mark. His lowest single-game total was 75 yards in their season opener against UCF. He had 77 against Southern Miss, and outside of those two games, he went over the century mark every time he suited up.

In addition to being a dynamic runner, Cook can also cook some things up in the passing game as well. He caught 30 passes for 286 yards on the season and was only docked for three drops all year. Much of that, as you would expect, came in the quick/dump-off game, but don't be surprised to see him out in the slot for a snap or two here and there this fall.

And for the cherry on top, Cook did more than hold his own in pass protection, albeit in a limited sample size. He allowed just three pressures and one sack in 45 dropbacks, which means he can truly be an every-down back and is not vulnerable to getting ate up by the pass rush.

The Freshman Phenom: Amari Latimer

High school stats: 567 carries, 4,922 yards, 78 TDs | 64 receptions for 866 yards, 9 TDs

Other offers: Arizona, Arkansas, Auburn, Cal, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Jacksonville State, Kentucky, Louisville, Marshall, Maryland, Memphis, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, South Carolina, South Florida, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Troy, UCF, UNLV, USC, Vanderbilt, Washington, Wisconsin, Western Michigan.

You will take one look at Amari Latimer and think, "There is no way that dude is 18 years old." He looks like he was built in a lab. Physically speaking, I'm not sure I have ever seen a running back be in the shape that he is in by the time he first set foot on campus.

The coaching staff knew early on that he would be someone who could make an immediate impact and have a heavy role from day one. In the fifteen practices he went through in the spring, he did not disappoint whatsoever. It became very clear that he is the second-best back in this room and is the future centerpiece of the West Virginia offense.

Latimer is primarily known for his ability to rip through tackles and play smashmouth football, but don't discount his speed. The combination of power and speed in his game is something scouts at the next level drool over.

Cook will absolutely eat up a good bulk of the carries, but there will still be plenty on the table for Latimer.

The Wild Cards: Martavious Boswell, Chris Talley

Speed demons.

Martavious Boswell

Career stats: 169 carries, 1,472 yards, 18 TDs

Boswell spent the first two years of his career at the junior college level, playing at Blinn and Copiah-Lincoln CC. At "Co-Lin," he emerged as the starter and became one of the most productive backs in the country, rushing for over 1,100 yards. Everyone I've talked to can't say enough about how quick he moves, and it's not just when he's blown past the second level of the defense either. He gets to the perimeter in a hurry and stays at top speed while changing direction. As always, there will be a learning curve, making the jump up to Power Four football.

Chris Talley

High school stats: 196 carries for 1,795 yards and 20 TDs

Other offers: Arkansas, Cincinnati, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Jacksonville State, Liberty, Memphis, Pitt.

Like Boswell, Talley is considered one of the fastest players on the entire team. He is a big play waiting to happen. One of the things that really impressed me in watching his high school tape was his ability to stay upright and rip through tackles. His contact balance is impressive for a back his size. He may not factor into the offensive game plan that much in 2026, but he has a very bright future.

Depth pieces: Lawrence Autry, Andre Devine, Darius Morant

Lawrence Autry

High school stats: 179 carries for 1,296 yards, 26 TDs

Other offers: Arkansas State, Austin Peay, Georgia State, Jacksonville State, Middle Tennessee, Sacramento State, South Alabama, and Southern Miss.

I almost threw Autry in the "wild cards" tier because I am a big believer in his potential. However, with him not arriving until the summer, he will be playing catch-up as the other six backs have been in this offense for several months now. He's not nearly as big as Latimer, but he's pretty stout, arriving in Morgantown at 221 lbs.

Andre Devine

Andre Devine, the son of legendary WVU running back Noel Devine, had a strong offseason. I've heard nothing but great things in terms of his gains in the weight room, in addition to the plays he was making in the spring. He will have an opportunity to play his way into a special teams role, perhaps as a returner.

Darius Morant

Morant was a former walk-on at Temple and did not see any playing time there. He was a fairly late addition and one who figures to battle for special-teams reps.

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