Ben Cutter Raves About WVU’s Freakish Redshirt Freshman Linebacker

All signs are pointing to a breakout year for this young Mountaineer backer.

West Virginia University linebacker Cam Torbor | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

West Virginia senior linebacker Ben Cutter has seen a lot of football. He was thrown to the wolves as a true freshman, playing 426 snaps in his first year, so he knows how challenging it can be to play a significant role as a young pup.

Cam Torbor did not sniff the field as a true freshman last year, but all signs are pointing to him making a big splash in 2026, be it as a starter or a rotational role at the WILL linebacker spot. A couple of days ago, our very own Jed Drenning stated that he believes Torbor, if he meets his potential, could be among the "most meaningful" pieces of Zac Alley's defense.

Jed will forget more football than most of us will ever know, and Cutter sees Torbor put the work in every single day. I'd like to think that if those two have high praise for him, there's a pretty good chance Torbor does indeed become a big factor for the Mountaineers this fall.

Cutter's analysis of Torbor will get WVU fans excited about what's to come

WVU Athletics Communications

“He’s come along good. I mean, this dude has the body to play anything you like. We were talking the other day; he could bulk up and play edge if he wanted to. He’s got the athletic ability and everything like that. He’s very low body fat percentage, and he weighs like 240, 250. It’s crazy. He’s fast. He can move well. And his understanding- the biggest thing for him last year was just the mental part of the game, understanding exactly where he needs to be, and he’s come very far this year.”

Even as a freshman, Torbor was listed at 6'3", 239 lbs. He weighed 232 on signing day. That's just not normal for a kid coming out of high school. Most linebackers have to bulk up, and sometimes that takes two years to put on 15-20 pounds, if not more, to get into a good spot. Physically speaking, he's been ready from day one.

Because of how well he can run at his size, he makes perfect sense at WILL, but don't be caught off guard if Zac Alley moves him around a little bit, putting him at the MIKE or, as Cutter mentioned, maybe at EDGE for a few snaps. Illinois transfer Malachi Hood is another guy they feel good about, so they are going to want to find snaps for him, too. Regardless of how the battle turns out at the WILL, Torbor is well on track to have a major role.