Can WVU Find Its Next Game-Wrecking Pass Rusher?

It's time to flip over to the defensive side of the ball now that we have completed all of our position previews on offense. We'll kick things off with the group of pass rushers, listed as an EDGE on the official roster.

Offensive previews

Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends | Offensive Line

Projected depth chart

Coach: Deke Adams (1st year)

JR Harper Holloman (6’2”, 255 lbs) — Atlanta, GA
R-FR Tobi Haastrup (6’3”, 250 lbs) — London, England
R-JR David Afogho (6’3”, 251 lbs) — Boston, MA
R-JR Jeremiah Johnson (6’2”, 249 lbs) — Spanish Springs, NV

Harper Holloman

Holloman is the hidden gem of West Virginia's transfer portal class. Last season at Western Kentucky, he posted 39 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, four passes defended, two sacks, and an interception. While the sack total may not be what you would like for it to be, he still impacts the passing game with his pass-rushing presence.

Across 13 games in 2025, he generated 42 pressures, 35 hurries, and six QB hits. With more talent around him, I would expect Holloman to finish more of those plays and be in the neighborhood of 5-7 sacks. The WVU staff knew he had the skill set to become a quality player in the Big 12, and that belief was affirmed after what he showed in the spring — separating himself from the rest of the pack.

Tobi Haastrup

As you can see, Haastrup is no stranger to the weight room. The body is certainly in game shape; it's just going to come down to improving his technique and getting comfortable in the scheme. Being from England, Haastrup, of course, did not grow up playing the game and instead competed in soccer and track and field.

In his senior year of high school, he went to Mayde Creek in Texas and put on a show, posting 48 total tackles, including 20.0 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and 23 hurries — pretty impressive stuff for his first year of organized football. That one season led to offers from a slew of Power Four schools, including Oregon, where he signed and redshirted in 2025.

It will likely take another year or two for him to round into form, but he can still have a rotational role this fall.

David Afogho

The 2025 season was Afogho's first at Bowling Green, where he truly had an opportunity to shine, and he took full advantage of it, recording 37 tackles, four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and one pass defended. Much like Holloman, he may not have gotten all the way home often, but he did rack up 27 pressures and 22 hurries

I've been going back and forth, putting him second and third on this list, but I truly believe after Holloman, the next three are all interchangeable on the depth chart.

Jeremiah Johnson

Johnson was one of the top players in the NorCal Conference for Butte Community College in 2025, but had two years of solid production. In 20 career games, Johnson combined for 38 tackles (25 solo), 14 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and six pass breakups.

While he may be listed fourth, I wouldn't rule him out of logging the second-most reps of this group. He has the experience over Haastrup, which does hold some weight. At the very least, he'll have a rotational role.

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