Can WVU’s Defensive Line Set the Tone in 2025? We Break Down the Front Unit

Previewing the West Virginia Mountaineers' defensive line group.

West Virginia University defensive lineman Corey McIntyre Jr | Christopher Hall – West Virginia on SI

Our positional previews for the offensive side of the ball for West Virginia is now complete, so now we turn our attention to the defense. Today, we start with the guys up front, the defensive line.

The top guys

WVU Athletics Communications

Jimmori Robinson - Robinson, as you know by now, is one of the four Mountaineers who have taken the NCAA to court, fighting for his eligibility. There is no timetable on when a hearing will take place or a decision will be made, but there's no question he will be the most talented player on Zac Alley's defense, if he's cleared. Last season at UTSA, he tallied 43 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks en route to being named the American Athletic Conference's Defensive Player of the Year.

Hammond Russell IV - The 6'3", 312-pounder has slowly but surely climbed the ladder in the defensive line room throughout his career. He's been pretty consistent against the run, but last season he flashed some pass rush ability, getting to the quarterback three times. Now that he's sliding into a starting role, he's a prime candidate to have a breakout season.

Edward Vesterinen - The Finland native is back for one more go at it after missing the majority of last season with a knee injury that he suffered in the Week 2 win over UAlbany. He's never been a statsheet filler, but he's always been "Steady Eddie," proving to be the most consistent player up front over the past two seasons.

Key contributors

West Virginia University defensive lineman Nate Gabriel | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Devin Grant - He spent two years at Colorado as a depth piece before transferring to Incarnate Word at the FCS level. In his two seasons with the Cardinals, he racked up 44 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and two forced fumbles.

Nate Gabriel - As a true freshman, Gabriel saw a decent amount of playing time on defense, even early in the year. He struggled at times against the run, lacking the athleticism to chase down backs in the gaps. The coaching staff liked the offseason he's put together after changing his body since last season. He had nine stops and a tackle for loss in 12 games.

Eddie Kelly Jr. - The Missouri transfer has the best chance of any in this group to post big-time production this fall. He's played a lot of football, and at a bunch of different places. This will, in fact, be his fourth school in as many years, having previously played for South Florida, Georgia Tech, and Mizzou. In 37 career games, he's logged 77 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.

Adam Tomczyk - Tomczyk is a little undersized, listed at 6'3", 261, but he makes up for it with his speed and athleticism. He played two years at Utah State before going down to the junior college level to get more playing time. At Cerritos College, he registered 43 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and four sacks.

Corey McIntyre Jr. - The son of former WVU fullback Corey McIntyre Sr. is looking to finally stay healthy and make an impact after dealing with some injuries over the first two years of his time in Morgantown. He was primed to have a big role a year ago before suffering a knee injury last spring.

Asani Redwood - Like McIntyre, Redwood has been a bit beat up throughout his Mountaineer career, but has more production, racking up 24 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. He got a late start to football, so those early injuries certainly didn't help the timing of his development. Still, he's shown flashes of being a rock-solid contributor.

Fighting for a rotation spot

WVU Athletics Communication

True freshmen Taylor Brown, Wilnerson Telemaque, and Brandon Caesar, in addition to junior college transfer Elijah Simmons, all have a pretty steep hill to climb in 2025. They have a bunch of experienced guys in front of them, meaning it will take a phenomenal fall camp AND progression throughout the season to see game reps.

Projected Defensive Line Depth Chart

Defensive End	Nose Tackle	Defensive Tackle
Jimmori Robinson*	Hammon Russell IV	Edward Vesterinen
Devin Grant	Nate Gabriel	Eddie Kelly Jr.
Adam Tomczyk	Corey McIntyre Jr.	Asani Redwood
Brandon Caesar		Wilnerson Telemaque
Quinton Goins		Taylor Brown
Carter Zuliani		Elijah Simmons
Jackson Biser

Recently published positional previews

Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

Offensive Line

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