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Five West Virginia Freshmen to Watch for in 2020

These five freshmen could make an impact for the Mountaineers this season

CB David Vincent-Okoli

Vincent-Okoli could easily be the Mountaineers most athletic incoming freshman and also the most underrated. His athleticism is what made the West Virginia coaching staff go back and forth on whether to put him at receiver or defensive back, but ultimately settled with the defensive side. He will likely be a candidate in the return game as well with the speed that he possesses. With a very young and inexperienced secondary, expect him to earn a significant amount of playing time as the season progresses.

DL Akheem Mesidor

This guy right here might be the most intriguing prospect coming in from the 2020 class. He has a Darius Stills-like game to him. Mesidor constantly lives in the opponents’ backfield and is a guy that will likely be a big part of the defensive line rotation this fall. 

LB Lanell Carr

Carr has a knack for rushing the passer and has the potential to be a star in Vic Koenning's defense as an edge rusher. He has the exact build of what Koenning and Neal Brown want, checking in at 6'3", 230-pounds, which is certainly a much bigger body type than West Virginia fans are use to seeing from their linebackers. 

WR Sam Brown

The Mountaineers had one of the youngest receiving corps in the Big 12 a year ago, but return virtually everyone at the position for 2020. There are a ton of bodies in that room, many of which are young, but Sam Brown is someone who could easily see action as a true freshman. Don't expect him to work his way into a starting role, but 15-20 receptions is certainly achievable. Brown can absolutely fly and has great size to go with it (6'2", 190-pounds). 

OL Zach Frazier

Although it is very rare to see an offensive lineman see the field as a true freshman, Frazier could be the exception. Depending on how Neal Brown wants to go about it, he could get some live reps in four games and retain his redshirt. He might not be a regular contributor in 2020, but the future of the Mountaineers’ offensive line will certainly have Frazier in it.

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