Rich Rod Gives Major Update on WR Prince Strachan After Spring Shoulder Injury

The big fella finally gets the green light.

WVU Athletics Communications

USC wide receiver transfer Prince Strachan is expected to be a big piece of the passing game for West Virginia in 2026, but it may take a couple of weeks for him to get back to where he was in the spring before the shoulder injury he suffered in the spring game.

Strachan has been working his way back from that injury, and while he has been doing some stuff, he wasn't given the full green light until recently. WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez gave an update on him as well as a quick backstory on his recruitment.

“(Special Teams Coordinator) Pat (Kirkland) coached his brother, who was a great player for him at Charleston, so we had a relationship with the family. We tried to get him before, and he went to USC. He’s been banged up, but he just got cleared. He was one on the flip side, and it was just from the shoulder from the spring, and he just got cleared a couple days ago, so he’s been practicing full. He’s a big body, an experienced guy.”

Prince's brother, Mike, put up big numbers at Charleston, posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to close out his career. That production, combined with his testing numbers at the NFL Combine, led to him being selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2021 draft. After a couple of years with the Colts, he spent some time with the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders.

Prince Strachan has big-time potential

WVU Athletics Communications

Strachan, assuming he's healthy, will be the starting 'X' receiver for the Mountaineers this fall. His big, 6'5", 215-pound frame makes you think he's a pure deep-ball threat, and while he can be that, he's much more than just someone you chuck it downfield to. Strachan can carve you up over the middle of the field and do some things in the quick game as well. For a guy his size, he has some twitch to him.

Strachan was bothered by an ankle injury last year at USC, which put him behind the 8-ball, and he was never able to climb his way back up the depth chart in what was a very talented receiver room. If it weren't for the injury, there's no question that he would have been a part of that passing attack. Having Strachan opposite Jaden Bray will give Mike Hawkins two big targets to get the ball to on the perimeter.