No Shortage of Weapons: Breaking Down WVU's Receiver Corps

We continue our West Virginia football position previews today with the wide receivers. There is a bunch of talent in the room at both outside spots as well as the slot, but figuring out who will be the top five or six guys isn't easy.

Projected depth chart

Wide receivers coach — Ryan Garrett (2nd year)
Insider receivers coach — Logan Bradley (2nd year)

(X): R-Jr. Prince Strachan (6’5”, 215 lbs) — Freeport, Grand Bahama; R-Fr. Taron Francis (6’1”, 216 lbs) — Avondale, LA; FR Malachi Thompson (6’4”, 198 lbs) — Charleston, WV; FR Landon Drumm (6’3”, 187 lbs) — Anchorage, AK

(SL): SR DJ Epps (5’11”, 188 lbs) — Phenix City, AL; R-Fr. Armoni Weaver-Bomar (5’9”, 170 lbs) — Spartanburg, SC; JR Keon Hutchins (6’0”, 177 lbs) — Union, MS; R-So. Kedrick Triplett (5’11”, 205 lbs) — Florence, AL; R-Jr. Cyrus Traugh (5’11”, 193 lbs) — Parkersburg, WV; FR Greg Wilfred (5’9”, 175 lbs) — New Orleans, LA

(Z): SR Jaden Bray (6’2”, 208 lbs) — Norman, OK, R-Jr. John Neider (6’2”, 205 lbs) — Milford, CT; FR Robert Oliver (6’2”, 185 lbs) — Tucson, AZ; FR Charlie Hanafin (6’0”, 186 lbs) — Burlington, MA; FR Brad Mossor (5’11”, 187 lbs) — Princeton, WV

The starters

(X) Prince Strachan

Mountaineer fans are going to fall in love with Prince Strachan's skill set. He is big, long, and more than just a deep-ball threat. After showing out at Boise State, USC snatched him up out of the transfer portal a year ago and had big plans for him before he sustained an ankle injury. What USC saw in him is still there. He just needed a change of scenery and an offense that will give him an opportunity to be the guy. West Virginia does that for him.

(SL) DJ Epps

Epps is shifty and tough to tackle in space because of his ability to change direction on a dime. The big question surrounding Epps is whether last year was an anomaly or a sign of what's to come. The 2025 campaign was the only year of real production for him, logging 47 catches for 512 yards and five scores. Entering his junior year, he had just one catch for his career.

(Z) Jaden Bray

It feels like we know so much about Bray, but at the same time, we know so little about him because of the back-to-back injuries to his foot that essentially cost him two full seasons. The coaching staff has big expectations for him, and Rich Rodriguez has gone as far as calling him the "alpha" of the wide receiver room, like Cam Cook is to the running back room. The injuries he sustained aren't necessarily ones that warrant the "injury-prone" tag, in my opinion. It was a deal that wasn't quite as cleaned up as they thought, leading to it becoming a problem again. He is fully healthy now and running extremely well. Of all the breakout candidates on WVU's roster, Bray just might be the one to really pop now that he's healthy and has a legitimate quarterback and other receivers around him.

Rotational guys

TaRon Francis

The former four-star recruit is loaded with potential. He didn't see the field as a true freshman at LSU, but that should change this fall in Morgantown, likely as the backup at the X position to Prince Strachan. Of all the newcomers at the position, you could make the case that Francis has the biggest chance to become a star. It may not happen in 2026, but we should see some flashes.

John Neider

Neider was a high school quarterback and has turned himself into an intriguing wide receiver with a ton of upside. He runs well, can play though contact out of his release, and make contested catches downfield. Fall camp could change things but as of this moment, I believe he could be WR4 for this team. The dude works his tail off and is going to be a legit vertical threat. Once he puts it all together, he will be a fun talent to watch.

Armoni Weaver-Bomar

Weaver-Bomar had limited opportunities a year ago as a freshman, but is someone the staff saw promise in. Despite going out and getting several guys who can play the slot, WVU could go to Weaver-Bomar after Epps before anyone else. He makes a lot of things happen after the catch, as we saw during his high school days at Westside in South Carolina. Quick in tight spaces and is a slippery tackle.

Keon Hutchins

Arguably the fastest wide receiver on the roster and certainly one of the fastest guys on the Mountaineers on the entire team. Hutchins averaged north of 19 yards per reception last season at Northwest Mississippi CC and was ranked as the No. 2 wide receiver at the JUCO level. He still needs to add a few more pounds to be in a great spot, but don't be surprised if he makes some splash plays this season, positioning himself to be a starter in 2027.

Kedrick Triplett

Triplett was phenomenal in the slot at Pearl River CC. He has a real feel for the position and knows when to cut his route short or extend it depending on the alignment of the second and third levels of the defense. He has a thicker frame at nearly 6-foot, 205 lbs, which allows him to absorb contact and continue to pick up yardage. Being able to play more on the outside will be what increases his in-game reps.

Cyrus Traugh

The Parkersburg native impressed during his time at Youngstown State and then walked on to the program at WVU last season, where he spent the year developing and getting stronger. He went from a scout teamer to someone West Virginia believes can play in meaningful snaps. To what degree is to be determined, but Traugh was one of the most talked-about players in the spring and won the Tommy Nikolich Award.

Developmental pieces

WR Charlie Hanafin Commits to WVU | WVU Athletics Communication

Charlie Hanafin, Robert Oliver, Malachi Thompson, Greg Wilfred, Landon Drumm, Brad Mossor

I don't want to completely rule out this group of freshmen from seeing any action, but it will be an uphill battle because of all of the talent and experience that sit ahead of them on the depth chart. If there were one I'd keep an eye on, it would be Robert Oliver. He has a ton of speed, allowing him to really stretch the field.

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